Man City 'push' to hijack dream £26m Chelsea transfer for wildcard Conor Gallagher replacement
Chelsea have been dealt a slight blow to their hopes of signing Claudio Echeverri from River Plate next month. The 17-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League recently following his impressive performances for Argentina at the Under-17 World Cup 2023.
Echeverri, who has just one year remaining on his contract in Buenos Aires, led his country to the semi-finals before they were stopped by champions-elect Germany in a penalty shootout. The teenage sensation scored five goals throughout the World Cup, with three of which coming against Brazil in the quarter-finals.
His impressive performances for Argentina have reportedly caught the attention of some big European clubs, who are looking to get their hands on the 'next big thing'. Chelsea have managed to prise an abundance of exciting talent from South America recently, signing the likes of Angelo Gabriel from Brazil and Kendry Paez from Ecuador.
But, the Blues have shown no sign of slowing down their hasty recruitment plan ahead of the January transfer window. According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are 'keen' to sign Echeverri, who has a €25million (£21.7million) release clause which could rise to €30million (£26million), but they face tough competition from Manchester City and Barcelona.
The report states that the Premier League champions are 'pushing' to secure his signature, staying in regular contact with both the player and River Plate. Romano adds that the Spanish giants 'highly rate' Echeverri but, due to Financial Fair Play restrictions, a potential deal could be 'difficult' to complete.
While Chelsea chase the signing of a wonderkid midfielder, Conor Gallagher continues to face an uncertain future with his contract set to expire in
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