Real Madrid Prepares for Summer 2025
At just 16 years old, young midfielder Franco Mastantuono of River Plate is set to develop his career in Europe, with Real Madrid, the record-holding Champions League champions, as his potential destination.
Solari’s Role
Real Madrid has long succeeded with a proactive recruitment policy. Juni Calafat, head of scouting, has previously brought in promising South American talents like Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Valverde. Although it might seem Mastantuono is another of Calafat’s discoveries, it’s actually football director Santiago Solari who introduced Mastantuono to Real. Solari, familiar with the South American youth market, identified Mastantuono and believes investing in him early will yield significant returns for Real.
Solari’s familiarity with Mastantuono’s background—both being midfielders, Argentinians, and former River Plate players—played a crucial role in his decision. Solari’s connections with both River Plate and Real Madrid position him as a vital facilitator for Mastantuono’s potential move.
River Plate’s Stance
According to AS, River Plate’s president Jorge Brito and vice-president Matias Patanian have been negotiating with Real Madrid in Madrid, making it clear that they won’t sell Mastantuono for a low price. Real Madrid’s initial offer of €20 million (excluding add-ons) was rejected. Over the past three months, Real’s management has been working to find a mutually satisfactory solution. Although they’ve reached a personal agreement with Mastantuono, they still need River Plate’s approval to finalize the deal.
If Real Madrid decides to activate Mastantuono’s release clause, they’ll need to pay $45 million (approximately €41.5 million). Even then, the earliest he could move to Bernabeu would be next summer. Mastantuono, who holds an Italian passport, won’t face any European work permit issues. Real Madrid’s plan is to let Mastantuono gain more experience at River Plate before joining them, a strategy they’ve previously employed with young South American talents, most recently with Endrick from Brazil, who joined Real Madrid in late 2022 but only recently arrived at Bernabeu.
