Manchester City are reportedly tracking River Plate's Claudio Echeverri, dubbed the next Lionel Messi. The 17-year-old attacking midfielder has been impressing at the Under-17s World Cup, scoring five goals and catching the eye of some of Europe's top clubs.

Echeverri has only made four substitute appearances for River Plate, but he is already seen as one of Argentina's most promising young talents. Manchester City hopes their good relationship with River Plate, which they struck when they signed Julian Alvarez, will give them an edge in the race for Echeverri's signature.

Alvarez, who joined Manchester City from River Plate in 2021, has become a key player for Pep Guardiola's side, scoring 25 goals in 69 appearances across all competitions. His performances in the 2022 World Cup have only made things easier for him. Guardiola has been impressed with Alvarez's progress, describing the striker as “almost undroppable.”

According to the Mirror, Manchester City are confident that they can secure the signing of Echeverri and are prepared to pay his £21.44 million buy-out clause. However, River Plate are now trying to renegotiate the deal to double the clause's value. The Argentine club are aware of Echeverri's potential, and they are determined to get the best possible price for him.

Manchester City are not the only club interested in Echeverri, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, Juventus, and the two Milan clubs also tracking the player. The race for Echeverri's signature will likely intensify in the coming months, and City will need to be at their best if they want to secure the signing of the highly-rated youngster.