Real Madrid Close to Signing Argentine Starlet Franco Mastantuono
Real Madrid are on the brink of securing the signing of 16-year-old Argentine sensation Franco Mastantuono, with new head coach Xabi Alonso playing a key role in the breakthrough. According to Cadena SER and MARCA, Alonso personally called the youngster, a move that significantly influenced Mastantuono’s decision to favor Madrid over Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), who had also been in advanced talks.
PSG were ready to meet Mastantuono’s €45 million release clause and planned to loan him back to River Plate until the end of 2025. But Real Madrid jumped back into the race roughly three weeks ago, after detecting increased interest from the player’s side.
Madrid’s chief scout, Juni Calafat, then flew to Buenos Aires to secure the player’s commitment in person. Xabi Alonso’s direct communication with Mastantuono reportedly sealed the deal, swaying the player firmly toward the Spanish giants.
Mastantuono is now fully focused on a move to the Santiago Bernabéu, with Real Madrid working to potentially lower the transfer fee. The club is leveraging the player’s strong preference to negotiate a better deal.
Madrid aims to finalize the transfer before the FIFA Club World Cup begins on June 14, 2025. If completed, Mastantuono would join other new signings like Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold, forming part of Madrid’s next generation under Alonso’s leadership.
