By Graham Ruthven
River Plate have despatched greater than their justifiable share of younger stars to Europe. Julián Alvarez, Enzo Fernández and Claudio Echeverri have all used the Buenos Aires membership as a springboard in recent times and in Franco Mastantuono they’ve one other wonderkid destined for the very best degree of the sport.
Mastantuono is a 17-year-old winger reportedly on his method to Actual Madrid for €45m this summer season. A number of of Europe’s largest golf equipment together with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea have been linked with {the teenager}, however the Santiago Bernabéu would be the excellent stage for one of many brightest attacking abilities wherever in world soccer proper now.
Earlier than pitching up within the Spanish capital, although, Mastantuono may have the chance to make an influence for River Plate on the Membership World Cup. The Argentine giants are plotting a run at this summer season’s match within the USA with their teenage prodigy central to their possibilities. At simply 17, Mastantuono may already be River’s greatest participant.
Usually deployed on the suitable facet of a entrance three, Mastantuono is a one-man artistic hub. He can cross and boasts spectacular progressive possession numbers. He can even dribble and is ranked within the 94th percentile for carries into the ultimate third per 90 minutes (3.22). {The teenager} has an all-round recreation past his fledgling years.
In simply 19 matches for River Plate this season, Mastantuono has registered seven targets and 4 assists. The 17-year-old has been likened to Lamine Yamal in the best way he cuts inside off the suitable wing to tackle opponents and pose a aim risk. Such comparisons are lofty, however this can be a participant broadly dubbed the “pearl” of Argentinean soccer.
Mastantuono has already been capped at worldwide degree, making his Argentina debut in a 1-0 away win over Chile earlier this month to grow to be the youngest participant in Albiceleste historical past. Argentina are getting ready to a generational transition with the likes of Lionel Messi, Ángel Di María and Nicolas Otamendi nicely into the twilight of their careers and Mastantuono’s emergence is well timed.
Since making his debut as River Plate’s third youngest-ever participant in January 2024, there was hype round Mastantuono. River rapidly inserted a €45m launch clause within the contract of their brightest younger expertise and fast-tracked him into the primary staff. Not even this, nonetheless, will likely be sufficient to maintain Mastantuono at El Monumental past his 18th birthday.
Actual Madrid’s curiosity in Mastantuono is long-standing. The Spanish giants tried to get a deal performed for the winger final yr simply as he was establishing himself in River Plate’s first staff. Actual Madrid scouts have reportedly watched Mastantuono from the age of 14, believing he could possibly be a giant a part of the membership’s subsequent era.
After all, Actual Madrid have already got a group of teenage prodigies. They spent €60m to signal Endrick as a 16-year-old with the Brazilian becoming a member of the Santiago Bernabéu outfit final yr. Arda Güler is one other wonderkid at present on the books of Los Blancos with Dean Huijsen not too long ago arriving from Bournemouth as probably the greatest younger defenders on this planet.
Earlier than Endrick, Güler and Huijsen, there was Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior who have been equally signed for giant cash as youngsters in South America. Vinícius’ switch for €46m in 2017 was the topic of explicit scrutiny till the Brazilian flourished into probably the greatest extensive attackers on this planet. €46m rapidly represented cash nicely spent.
The issue for Mastantuono is that there’s such competitors for attacking locations on the Santiago Bernabéu proper now that his growth could possibly be stunted there. Yamal burst on to the scene as a result of Barcelona have been determined for a proper winger. There was a spot within the lineup to be earned. Actual Madrid don’t at present have the identical problem.
Xabi Alonso will remould the staff he inherited from Carlo Ancelotti in his personal picture with the Membership World Cup a possibility to make a profitable begin as Actual Madrid supervisor. It could possibly be the case that Alonso already has a plan for Mastantuono’s growth though his favoured 3-4-3 system may not be an important match for the Argentine wonderkid.
River Plate insist Mastantuono will stay on the membership for the remainder of the 2025 season, however the lure of Actual Madrid might show too sturdy for that to be the case. That is, in any case, a membership that paid £10m to signal Trent Alexander-Arnold 30 days early. A robust displaying by Mastantuono on the Membership World Cup might hasten his arrival in Spain.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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