Barcelona and Real Madrid have reportedly fallen behind Liverpool in the race to secure the services of 17-year-old Argentine sensation Franco Mastantuono from River Plate.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Franco Mastantuono is the subject of interest from Liverpool. Barcelona and Real Madrid are also keen on signing the River Plate prodigy. However, the Premier League heavyweights are in the pole position to land the Argentine sensation, who will cost either €45 million or €50 million depending on the time of approach in the transfer window.
The rise and rise of Franco Mastantuono
Franco Mastantuono continues to see his stock soar with every passing week. The teenage whizkid rose in prominence several months ago after breaking into the first-team squad at River Plate as a 16-year-old, making his senior bow at the onset of the 2024 season.
The 17-year-old has been a regular for River Plate in the 2024 season, even though he has yet to become the undisputed first-choice starter. Mastantuono has amassed over 1,500 minutes of game time across 40 appearances thus far for River Plate, chipping in with four goals and three assists. Meanwhile, the youngster’s progress has piqued the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe, including Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Liverpool.
High-profile clubs chasing Mastantuono
Barcelona and Real Madrid first showed interest in the Argentine sensation shortly after he broke into the first-team squad at River Plate. Since then, the two La Liga heavyweights have closely monitored the young attacking prospect’s progress at the club. That is hardly surprising, considering Barcelona and Real Madrid have a rich history of signing world-class prodigies from South American clubs.
Recent forays into the South American market have seen Barcelona sign Vitor Roque and Real Madrid land Endrick. Franco Mastantuono is thus a viable target, considering his versatility. With Hansi Flick utilising the 4-2-3-1 formation, the South American prospect could become an alternative to Dani Olmo. At Real Madrid, he could be an option on the right flank.
However, Barcelona and Real Madrid have fallen behind Liverpool in the race to secure the services of the Argentine wonderkid. The Reds can do with a versatile attacker amid the blow-hot-blow-cold displays of Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah’s uncertain future. So, the youngster is a viable target for Liverpool.
The 17-year-old has a release clause worth €45 million in his contract with River Plate. However, that figure goes up to €50 million in the final days of the transfer window. So, it will be interesting to see if Liverpool will move quickly to seal a deal worth €45 million to sign Mastantuono from River Plate.
