Franco Mastantuono, a young promise from River Plate, was on the radar of major European clubs for several weeks, including Real Madrid, after his standout appearance in the first team of the Argentine club at just 16 years old. His talent, combined with his young age, quickly attracted the attention of the most important teams in Europe, who are eager to invest in young players with great potential, especially from South America.

However, Mastantuono’s situation changed drastically. What initially seemed like an affordable opportunity due to the expiration of his contract in December 2024, transformed when the player signed a renewal with River Plate. This deal not only guaranteed him a salary increase but also included a release clause of 45 million euros, the highest in Argentine football, a detail that discouraged the interested clubs.

Real Madrid, which had shown interest in the player and even visited Buenos Aires to negotiate, quickly withdrew, as did Barcelona and Milan. The 45 million clause became a significant obstacle, which caused frustration among the teams that had previously held discussions, as they had been assured that the deal would be affordable.

The Real Madrid board, known for its cautious approach in the transfer market, chose to distance itself from such situations, feeling that River Plate’s move was not transparent and considering it a bad negotiation move. Although some people close to Mastantuono tried to reignite talks, Real Madrid showed no interest in pursuing the signing.

With his upcoming birthday just around the corner, Mastantuono, who will turn 18 in August, remains an important figure at River Plate, where he has played 41 games with the first team throughout 2024. Despite recent interest from clubs like Milan, the player seems destined to continue his development in Argentina, while other teams, such as Real Madrid, focus on less expensive alternatives.

This episode adds to other recent cases, such as the signing of Endrick, who joined Real Madrid in 2022 at just 16 years old, solidifying the club's policy of investing in young stars in the development process, but at more affordable prices and conditions.