Manchester City youngster Claudio Echeverri is set for another loan deal this January following a disappointing time in Germany.
The South American youth product has spent the first half of this season out on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, but has struggled not only to make an impact but even to enjoy any real steady playing time.
Following reports earlier this month by The Athletic‘s Seb Stafford-Bloor that announced Echeverri’s loan would return to his Man City, it appears as though all parties concerned haven’t exactly gotten what they want out of the deal.
With that in mind, not only has his short-term agreement been cut short, but Echeverri is now set to join another City Football Group (CFG) club on a temporary contract, where he can crucially be assured more regular minutes.
As confirmed by the ever ubiquitous transfer insider, Fabrizio Romano, Claudio Echeverri is now set to join Girona temporarily from the Premier League side.
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Romano writes that “the Argentinian talent leaves Bayer Leverkusen after loan deal interrupted — as Echeverri was not playing.”
Stating that the 19-year-old will officially become a Girona FC player from 1 January onwards, he will no doubt provide some much-needed offensive firepower for the struggling Spanish side, with the Catalan club currently lingering in the La Liga relegation zone.
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Following a somewhat reverse pattern of fellow forward, Savinho (who was signed by the French CFG franchise arm, Troyes, before being loaned to Girona and eventually bought by Man City), the attack-minded player remains a highly-rated youth prospect but has yet to fully announce himself.
He scored the first goal for his parent club back in June; it’s fair to say it was a bit of a corker…
Fast forward to now, though, and Echeverri will spend at least until next June representing Girona – no doubt dropping straight into the starting lineup as soon as possible.
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At the moment, there is no suggestion of any permanent clause included in the agreement, but either way, ‘El Diablito’ is still a CFG asset, at the end of the day.
With that in mind, we’re sure they’ll move him around the sporting network however they see fit in search of a breakout spell.
Do you think it’s a good move for the young starlet, or would you like to see him back in Manchester, fighting his way into matchday squads?
Featured Images — DAZN ES (screenshot via YouTube)
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
24th December 2025 
