Real Madrid have reached an agreement to sign highly rated River Plate forward Franco Mastantuono for an initial fee of approximately $45 million (£35 million), a spokesperson for the Argentine club confirmed to Reuters on Thursday.
The 17-year-old, who made his first-team debut for River Plate in January 2024, is considered one of the most promising talents to emerge from Argentine football in recent years. A naturally left-footed attacker, Mastantuono quickly earned a regular starting role under then-coach Marcelo Gallardo and has since become a central figure in the Buenos Aires-based side.
“The sale is settled. In the final talks it remains to agree on some details,” a club source told Reuters. No further specifics regarding the structure of the transfer have been disclosed.
Mastantuono had attracted interest from several major European clubs, including Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain. His reputation was further enhanced following a notable performance in the April Superclásico, where he scored a remarkable free-kick in River Plate’s victory over Boca Juniors.
According to reports in the Argentine media, River Plate plan to retain Mastantuono on loan until December in order to see out their ongoing Copa Libertadores campaign.
The teenager has also received his first call-up to the senior Argentina national team from manager Lionel Scaloni, ahead of upcoming South American World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia. Should he feature, Mastantuono could become the youngest player to make his senior debut for Argentina.