Real Madrid have signed the young Argentine midfielder on a six-season deal.
Just a week ago, everything seemed uncertain. Franco Mastantuono’s move to Real Madrid looked nearly impossible. But it didn’t take long for that uncertainty to disappear. The most successful club in Spain has officially signed the 17-year-old talent.
Mastantuono joins Real from River Plate on a six-year deal, keeping him at the Santiago Bernabéu until 2031. According to Spanish media, the transfer fee is €45 million, to be paid in installments.
The young River Plate star caught the attention of top clubs with his raw talent. Last season, he was one of the Argentine side’s key players. Coach Marcelo Gallardo deployed him on the right wing and brought out the best in him.
Despite his age, Mastantuono has excellent game-reading ability and impressive composure on the ball. That makes him equally comfortable playing in midfield as well as on the wing.
Real Madrid had already shown interest in Mastantuono last summer. Talks with River Plate had progressed, and his agent had even assured Real that Mastantuono wouldn’t renew his contract with River. But seeing Madrid’s interest, the Argentine club raised his release clause to negotiate a better deal—ultimately preventing the move at that time.
Though the agreement is now in place, Mastantuono won’t be joining Real Madrid immediately. He’ll first play in the Club World Cup with River Plate, and once he turns 18 in August, he’ll move to his new home in Madrid.
Mastantuono has already made his debut for Argentina at the international level. Earlier this month, he came on as a substitute for Thiago Almada in a 1–0 win over Chile.
