La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid have reportedly made a plan to beat Barcelona and Chelsea to 16-year-old River Plate prodigy Franco Mastantuono.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Franco Mastantuono is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The Merengues have hatched a ploy to beat Barcelona and Chelsea to the 16-year-old River Plate wonderkid as they look to execute a plan similar to the one that yielded them the signature of Endrick.
Franco Mastantuono and his rise
Franco Mastantuono is the latest highly-rated prodigy to rise in prominence in South America. A budding attacking midfielder, the Argentine whizkid is renowned for his creativity and vision. In addition, he can chip in with regular goals in the final third.
The 16-year-old has already broken into the first-team squad at River Plate, turning out 11 times thus far while scoring two goals. Meanwhile, Mastantuono’s progress at River Plate has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea.
High in demand
Mastantuono’s first links with a European club came with Barcelona, with the Blaugrana showing interest in February. The reigning La Liga champions are renowned for constantly scouring the market for highly-rated prospects. However, Mastantuono’s valuation of €45 million poses a problem for the financially-stricken Barcelona.
As for Chelsea, the West London club recently contacted the youngster’s entourage. Franco Mastantuono is the latest South American prodigy to emerge as a target for Chelsea, with the Premier League outfit signing Angelo Gabriel, Kendry Paez, and Deivid Washington, among others, from the continent.
But Real Madrid will look to beat Barcelona and Chelsea to Franco Mastantuono’s signature. Los Blancos’ interest in the Argentine whizkid is hardly surprising. They have been active in the South American market for years, with Federico Valverde, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo becoming pivotal first-team stars. And Real Madrid might have a plan to secure the youngster’s services.
Florentino Perez is ready to part with a significant sum to land Mastantuono. But Real Madrid will not cough up €45 million to secure his services. That is a plan similar to the one that brought them sign Endrick. So, it will be interesting to see if this ploy helps Real Madrid beat Barcelona and Chelsea to his signature.
