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Manchester City About to find out if River Plate’s persistence becomes a real factor in Claudio Echeverri’s future.

The Argentine club tried to bring back the attacking midfielder in January. They worked hard, player interest grew and the return to Buenos Aires showed some momentum. Yet this step was never taken.

At the time, the main obstacle was Manchester City’s determination to keep Echeverri within City Football Group’s development path. Instead of returning to South America, he was sent to girona For the second half of the season.

Now Rivers is preparing for another attempt, and the circumstances look very different.

according to TYC SportsThe Argentine side will contact Manchester City directly to find out if Echeverri can join on loan.

The report adds that Rivers believes the youngster could struggle for significant first-team consideration next season and sees an opportunity to renegotiate a deal that fell through just six months ago.

January’s effort provides important context

This is not a new idea of ​​Rivers. As we followed closelyThe club had already tried to secure Echeverri in January after his loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen was going nowhere.

TYC Sports reports that Rivers pushed hard at the time The player himself was curious about the possibility.

However, Manchester City refused to approve the move. And girona compromise solution.

At the time, it seemed logical. Verona offered regular experience in a major European league, familiarity with the City Football Group model, and a working route for other young players.

But the reality proved more complex.

More minutes, but no success

Echeverri certainly played more football in Spain than in Germany.

After barely appearing for Leverkusen, he made 17 appearances for Verona during the second half of the campaign. Yet only five of them appeared as starters. His final numbers were one goal and one assist.

were there encouraging signs. Bayern manager Michel Sánchez repeatedly talked about helping him play with more freedom and confidence.

However, the loan did not exactly become the success that many had hoped for.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment came collectively. Verona’s season ended with relegation from La Liga, meaning that Echeverri’s first extended experience of senior European football ended with a drop to the second division.

Guardiola’s departure may change the equation

It is here that the river sees an opening.

According to TYC Sports, the club’s view is that Echeverri could still find himself down the pecking order at Manchester City next season. A first-team role under Guardiola was already looking difficult. This arguably looks even more uncertain during a managerial change.

Also, the biggest obstacle the river faced in January has disappeared.

Guardiola was a central figure In the decision to keep Echeverri in Europe and under the umbrella of City Football Group. With the Spaniard gone, River can reasonably expect City’s football department to re-evaluate the situation.

The player remains under contract until June 2028, so Manchester City will retain full control over the next step. Still, Rivers believes there are some reasons to be optimistic.

TYC Sports report that the Argentine side feel a positive disposition from Echeverri and maintain open dialogue with Manchester City officials.

Relations between the clubs have been strong over the years, helped by past business such as Julián Álvarez’s move to England.

Whether this will be enough is another question.

Luka Doncic reminded the entire NBA why the Los Angeles Lakers are the team to beat in the Western Conference. The Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets 127-125 in an overtime thriller Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. While the box score highlights a huge team effort, the night belonged to Doncic. He produced a ruthless game-winner followed by a defensive stop that sent the home crowd into a frenzy.

Luka Doncic for the win 🤯pic.twitter.com/cbtnkMur28

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 15 March 2026

The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t make it easy for themselves. After letting a lead slip late in regulation, they traded haymakers to a Denver Nuggets team led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. The energy inside the arena reached fever pitch as both teams refused to blink in the extra period.

But as the game became tied, Doncic took charge. With less than 7 seconds remaining, the Slovenian superstar buried a stepback jumper to put the Lakers up by two.

Denver had one last chance to steal the victory. The ball reached Tim Hardaway Jr., who had already scored 20 points off the bench for the Nuggets. Hardaway Jr. rose up for a potential game-winning three-pointer, but Doncic met him at the summit. The Lakers’ point guard blocked the attempt as the buzzer sounded, capping his triple-double performance with a rare defensive highlight.

Luka Doncic finished the evening with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds. Got a lot of help from them also. Austin Reeves was fantastic, leading all scorers with 32 points on 12-of-21 shooting. Marcus Smart also turned back the clock, scoring 21 points and a staggering five steals to keep Denver’s offense unbalanced. For the Nuggets, Jokic was his usual dominant self, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Lakers’ star power. With the win, Los Angeles continues its lead at the top of the standings.

West Ham United were one of the clubs linked with a move for Benfica winger Andreas Schjelderup during the January transfer window, but the deal never went ahead after Jose Mourinho intervened to keep the player.

This is according to a Portuguese newspaper to ballIt is reported that the 21-year-old player seriously considered leaving Lisbon earlier this year due to limited playing time. However, the Benfica manager blocked the move to West Ham after assessing the player’s potential and the team’s needs for the second half of the season.

Schjelderup had been used only sporadically up to that point, which opened the door for several clubs to explore a transfer. West Ham was one of the teams monitoring the situation, along with Parma, Roma, Juventus and Besiktas. Club Brugge came closest to completing a deal.

According to the report, the Belgian side managed to reach an agreement with Schjelderup for a permanent transfer. However, negotiations with Benfica ultimately broke down, preventing the move from going ahead.

Interest from West Ham and other clubs

West Ham’s presence on the list of interested clubs reflects their continued search for attacking depth, particularly in wide areas. We covered his alleged interest at the time And now the Portuguese press has confirmed it. The Hammers have regularly looked at emerging European talents in recent transfer windows, and Sjelderup fits that profile. West Ham also started talks.

The Norwegian winger joined Benfica from FC Nordsjælland in January 2023 and is considered one of the most technically gifted young attackers in the club’s squad. Comfortable on both sides, he is known for his close control, acceleration and ability to attack defenders in one-on-one situations.

Due to his limited minutes at the start of this season, a loan move was also discussed with several clubs. Nevertheless, Benfica never fully opened the door for an exit after Mourinho made his position clear.

what happens next

For now, Schjelderup remains at Benfica and is expected to continue to fight for a bigger role in the team.

However, the level of interest over the winter suggests his position may be worth a look. Clubs such as West Ham have already been alerted to his availability. If his playing time in Lisbon remains limited, interest could easily return.

Benfica would obviously sell if the right offer came, so this is a pause rather than a pause. It remains to be seen whether West Ham will offer that offer.

The Hammers need to secure their Premier League status first.