La Liga champions Barcelona are reportedly tracking the progress of 16-year-old Argentine wonderkid Franco Mastantuono at River Plate.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Franco Mastantuono is the subject of interest from Barcelona. The reigning La Liga champions remain active in the South American market. And they are keeping tabs on the progress of the 16-year-old wonderkid at River Plate.
Who is Franco Mastantuono?
Franco Mastantuono is the latest South American prospect to rise in prominence. A native of Azul, the teenage sensation began his youth career as a four-year-old with River de Azul. A short stint with Club Cemento followed before he joined River Plate in 2019. Since then, he has come leaps and bounds.
After rising through the ranks for the last half a decade, the 16-year-old wonderkid made his first-team debut for River Plate last month, becoming the third-youngest player for River Plate. Meanwhile, the Argentine sensation has started the 2024 season well, scoring once in eight outings thus far.
Meanwhile, Mastantuono’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs in Europe. And Barcelona might be the youngster’s next destination, with the Blaugrana keeping tabs on the progress of the 16-year-old Argentine wonderkid.
Barcelona Calling?
Barcelona’s interest in Franco Mastantuono is hardly surprising. The Catalan giants have been active in the South American market for several years, having signed several players from the continent. The latest prodigy to join Barcelona has been Vitor Roque, with the Brazilian sensation hitting the ground running.
Several other highly-rated prospects are on Barcelona’s radar, with the club showing interest in Matheus Goncalves, Estevao Willian, and several others. Mastantuono has now emerged as a target for Barcelona, with the Blaugrana closely monitoring his progress at River Plate. And it might not be surprising if the reigning La Liga champions launch the offensive to secure his services.
Mastantuono cannot change clubs in the summer transfer window as he has not turned 18 yet. According to FIFA rules, Barcelona can only secure the youngster’s services after he is 18 years old. But the Blaugrana can seal the deal for the 16-year-old Argentine wonderkid to arrive in Catalonia in August 2025, beating others to his signature.
