LEVERKUSEN, Germany — Manchester City's young attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri is heading to Bayer Leverkusen on loan and has some big shoes to fill.

Considered one of the brightest young talents in South American soccer, the 19-year-old from Argentina joins on a season-long loan to “gain further first-team experience,” City said. He was joined at Leverkusen by another new signing Thursday, defender Loïc Badé from Sevilla.

Echeverri will be expected to take on the role of creative playmaker after Florian Wirtz left for Liverpool for a fee of up to $156 million in June, amid a broader exodus of players from Leverkusen following Xabi Alonso's departure as coach.

“Soccer fans come to the stadium to see players like Claudio,” sporting director Simon Rolfes said. “His creativity will g

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