Teenage Argentine star keen on move to Real Madrid despite interest from Chelsea - Reports

Franco Mastantuono is considered the next big thing of the Argentine football and has already attracted interest from the top European clubs like Real Madrid and Chelsea. The 16-year-old has been linked to the Merengues and the Blues, according to Madrid Universal, with the Spanish giants having the upper hand so far.

According to the report, the Blues have also entered the race to sign River Plate's star midfielder, joining the likes of Barcelona, Manchester City, and PSG.

Still, the Merengues remain frontrunners to land Franco Mastantuono, as the latter has expressed the desire to play for the Spanish giants.

Mastantuono is under contract with the Argentine powerhouse through the summer of 2026, which means that any team interested will need to pay a fee to sign him.

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What does Real Madrid plan to do with Franco Mastantuono?

Real Madrid are inclined to sign Franco Mastantuono, but they are not willing to pay the exit fee of €45 million. Per Marca, what they want to do is to agree to a deal with River Plate for a lower fee in exchange for the Argentine midfielder staying with his current club through at least the summer of 2025.

Even though he is just 16 years old, he holds an Italian passport, which makes things easier for a move to Europe, however the Merengues appear to be unwilling to bring him in before he turns 18.

This will not be the first time that the Spanish giants will sign a young talent. Since 2018, they have spent €216 million for Endrick as well as Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo and Eduardo Camavinga.

Endrick will join the team from Palmeiras in late July after becoming 18 years old, while the other three have emerged into superstars and have become great part of the Merengues' success.

Real Madrid has won the La Liga title and will face Dortmund in the Final of the UEFA Champions League in London on June 1st.