Guardiola Goes Crazy for a Real Madrid Discard, Ready to Pay €50 Million
Manchester City is reportedly very interested in one of South America’s most promising young talents.
Franco Mastantuono, a 17-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder, continues to attract the attention of top European clubs. According to reports, City is currently the frontrunner to sign him. The youngster is impressing under the guidance of Marcelo Gallardo at River Plate.
A Meteoric Rise
Mastantuono’s rise to River Plate’s first team has been nothing short of spectacular. His maturity on the pitch at such a young age makes him one of the most exciting prospects in South American football.
Guardiola Wants Him at All Costs
According to The Sun, Manchester City is willing to pay around €50 million (£38 million) to secure Mastantuono’s transfer in the upcoming transfer window. This figure has alerted River Plate, who know they won’t be able to hold on to him much longer.
To introduce the player to the English audience, some have already started comparing him to Phil Foden, calling him the “Argentinian Foden,” a nickname that only adds more hype and expectations around the 17-year-old.
Won’t Join Real Madrid
Franco Mastantuono was once linked with Real Madrid. Juni Calafat, head of scouting at the Spanish club and the man responsible for signing players like Vinícius, Valverde, and Rodrygo, had been monitoring the player for a while.
However, things didn’t go well behind the scenes. Mastantuono’s agent allegedly used Real Madrid’s interest to increase the player’s value and secure a better deal in Argentina—something that didn’t sit well with Florentino Pérez, who ultimately decided to step away from the operation.
