The 'next Lionel Messi' is heading to Man City! Premier League champions strike £20m Claudio Echeverri deal to beat Real Madrid, Barcelona & PSG in transfer race for Argentine wonderkid

Premier League champions Manchester City have clinched a deal for Echeverri, according to Fabrizio Romano. Pep Guardiola's side have beaten off competition from their European rivals in pursuit of the 17-year-old forward, who has been dubbed "the next Lionel Messi". Paris Saint-Germain have also been in the race, but City have now signed contracts to complete the deal.

Echeverri shone brightly on the international stage, particularly at the recent U17 World Cup, where he showcased his skills by scoring a memorable hat-trick in a quarter-final tie against Brazil. Despite Argentina finishing fourth in the tournament, Echeverri's prowess in attack earned him recognition.

Romano reports that City have agreed to a £20m ($25m) deal with River Plate for the potential future superstar. City will pay a €14.5m (£12.5m/$13.5m) net fixed fee to River and a further €9m (£7.7m/$9.8m) in performance-related add-ons. Echeverri is expected to remain at River Plate until at least the summer, with the possibility of extending his stay until the end of 2024 to gain more valuable first-team experience.

In addition to Echeverri, City are reportedly also keeping an eye on two other River Plate prospects, Agustin Ruberto and Ian Subiabre. Both players, who also impressed at the U17 World Cup, have attracted interest from various clubs, including Brighton and Hove Albion, Tottenham, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

City boast of having a wonderful relationship with River Plate since the transfer of Julian Alvarez in 2022, which proved to be crucial in getting the player. Echeverri is now set to follow in Alvarez's footsteps, but could alsojoin Barcelona in the future, having previously admitted that he would like to tread a similar career path to Messi.