Spanish media reports reveal that Real Madrid has struck a deal with highly-sought talent Franco Mastantuono of River Plate.
The 16-year-old Argentine midfielder-who has attracted interest from major European clubs, Chelsea and Manchester United-is now on the verge of becoming a part of the Spanish giants.
Originally, Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and Manchester United were believed to be leading the race for Mastantuono’s signature.
However, as he is aged 16, he cannot move to Europe until August 2025, when turning 18 and that did not reportedly scare Real Madrid.
Now, they have pulled clear to lead the pursuit of his services as they agreed on personal terms with the highly-sought starlet.
But discussions between the two clubs are ongoing, which suggests an agreement is not yet fully agreed upon.
The key to any transfer would be the highly significant release clause in Mastantuono’s contract, which currently stands at an astonishing €45 million; the scale of that investment gives some idea of what is involved in recruiting such a prodigious talent.
Easy negotiations are not expected with his current club River Plate. As they will want their prized asset’s release clause to be activated which means there is still much work to be done before the deal is tied up.
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One thing which is yet to be established, however, is a timeline for when Mastantuono would join Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
They could decide to let the young midfielder remain in Argentina for some time, maybe even staying put until the summer of 2026.
What this would do is that it will enable Mastantuono to develop physically and tactically before eventually moving to European football.
Despite all complexities in a transfer, this one reportedly inches closer day by day. Renowned transfer insider Fabrizio Romano also seems to confirm the same via his social media updates, which further instill hope among fans.
Real Madrid will definitely make a big transfer by signing Mastantuono since they want to add depth to their present squad and want to develop young players for future success in LaLiga and UCL.
The entire transfer saga now depends on and Spotlights negotiations between Real Madrid and River Plate. If the Spanish Club signs Mastantuono, then it will be another shrewd move towards strengthening their squad with young talents.
