Franco Mastantuono will soon sign a new contract with River Plate with a release clause worth €45 million amid interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona and Real Madrid are keen on signing Franco Mastantuono. But they will have to shell out a considerable sum to secure his services as the 16-year-old will soon sign a new deal with River Plate, with the contract including a release clause worth €45 million.
The Advent of Franco Mastantuono
Franco Mastantuono is the latest highly-rated Argentine prospect to rise in prominence. The country has produced many world-class footballers, including the legendary Lionel Messi. Others include all-time greats like Diego Maradona, Mario Kempes, and Alfredo Di Stefano.
The last few years have also heralded the rise of highly-rated prospects, including Gianluca Prestianni. Mastantuono has now become the talk of the town in the European market, with many well-known clubs setting their sights on him. These include La Liga heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Spain Calling?
Barcelona and Real Madrid regularly lock horns in the market for highly-rated prospects. Their duels date back decades, and they recently went head-to-head in the race to sign prodigies like Endrick, Pablo Torre, and Vitor Roque. Mastantuono has now become a common target for the two La Liga heavyweights.
Barcelona’s interest in Franco Mastantuono is understandable, considering Ilkay Gundogan is only a short-term solution in the attacking midfield role. So, it behoves the Blaugrana to invest in a young playmaker who can make his mark for over a decade at the Catalan club.
As for Real Madrid, they never shy away from investing in highly-rated prospects, with Florentino Perez promoting a youth-driven project during his current presidency reign. Several young prodigies have joined Real Madrid before becoming pivotal figures for Los Blancos. And Mastantuono can be the latest wonderkid to become a long-term solution for Real Madrid.
But the 16-year-old will soon sign a new contract with River Plate, with the deal including a release clause worth €45 million. That figure will rise to €50 million in the latter stages of the transfer window. Meanwhile, he cannot join a European club before turning 18. So, the move will only be completed in August 2025. It will be interesting to see if Barcelona and Real Madrid are ready to pay €45 million to land him next year.
