FC Barcelona target Claudio Echeverri has confirmed he will not renew his River Plate contract.
European football has been put on alert after Claudio Echeverri, dubbed the 'new Lionel Messi', confirmed he will not renew his River Plate contract.
Echeverri came to global attention during the recent U-17 World Cup.
His Argentina side could only reach the last four, and not replicate the heroics of the senior outfit led by Messi in Qatar a year go, but still the attacking midfielder raised eyebrows by bagging a hat trick in a 3-0 quarter-final win over bitter rivals Brazil.
Echeverri was swiftly linked to a number of European giants. Last week, SPORT relayed a report explaining that FC Barcelona had approached River to sound out a move for the teenager, and had offered to pay more than his $27.5 million (€25 million) release clause if it meant the sum could be paid in installments.
Yet the Buenos Aires club might now be forced to point to that price tag given that Echeverri has already confirmed he won't agree fresh terms with them which are due to expire on December 31.
"I'm not going to renew," he stated after playing his first match as a starter with the team on Friday, which will have been of great disappointment to them as there were plans to get Echeverri to commit his future and then increase the release clause.
"I'm going to stay for a year or six months and then see what happens."
The statement will put Barca and a string of other interested parties on alert, with head coach Xavi Hernandez well aware of who the prodigy that turns 18 in January is.
"I know him. He's talented. He's a differential player. His arrival? That depends on the scouting area," the legendary midfielder said recently.
Echeverri has also revealed that "in addition to River, I would like to play for Barca".
"I'm a big fan of Messi and I watched him play in Barcelona, so I've carried this team inside me since I was very young."
Whether that wish can be fulfilled depends on Barca beating the rest of the pack to his signature at a time when their spending power is limited.
