Manchester City have a buy-back option in the Claudio Echeverri deal should Benfica decide to exercise their option to sign the playmaker permanently.
According to Record via Sport Witness, Manchester City have managed to insert a buy-back clause worth €50 million in Claudio Echeverri’s agreement to join Benfica. The Portuguese giants hold a purchase option in the region of €30 million, including bonuses, and should they exercise it, Enzo Maresca will retain significant control of Echeverri’s future.
Manchester City have several important talents maturing through their ranks, and decisions were made to send a few out on loan. In the case of Claudio Echeverri, the club allowed him to leave on a season-long deal with Benfica, although the Portuguese giants have the option to make the move permanent.
Benfica may have to pay around €30 million, including add-ons, to sign the 20-year-old midfielder from Manchester City should they exercise the buy option in the agreement.
The Portuguese giants had been pursuing him in the latter stages of the summer transfer window and found a way to convince the Premier League side, while Serie A club Monza also reportedly tried to sign him.
Manchester City retain control of Echeverri’s future
Manchester City signed Echeverri from River Plate in a deal worth £12.5 million, which, according to the report on Sport Witness, could potentially rise to £15 million. The 20-year-old midfielder made only three senior appearances under Pep Guardiola in the second half of the 2024/25 season, as he was not deemed ready to play regularly for the senior side.
He left the club on loan, first joining Bayer Leverkusen last summer and then Girona in January, but neither club was able to provide him with the right platform to develop. With the Benfica loan, there is a strong chance he could find a stable environment to advance his career, and with that, Manchester City retain some degree of control over his future.
Should Benfica exercise their purchase option, Manchester City have inserted a buy-back clause worth €50 million to maintain control of Echeverri’s future. The Citizens would make a considerable profit on their investment should the Portuguese giants sign him permanently, but they are also willing to reinvest in the talent if he realises his full potential under Marco Silva in Lisbon.
He was reportedly sought by Silva as a key target during the summer. Now Echeverri must prove himself in Lisbon, should he thrive, Manchester City’s €50 million buyback option offers a clear path to reclaim him.
