River Plate deny negotiations with Real Madrid over wonderkid Franco Mastantuono despite 'meeting' taking place

Real Madrid have significantly moved away from their Galactico approach in the transfer market and have made a name for themselves in signing top teenage talents, especially from South America. After securing young stars like Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo, and Endrick, it appears Mastantuono could be next in line with reports ripe in Spanish media that the player has already agreed to personal terms with Los Blancos and is keen on a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Speaking to ESPN, Brito did acknowledge a meeting with Real Madrid but insisted that Mastantuono was not discussed.

"There've been no negotiations with Real Madrid for Franco Mastantuono, I can guarantee that," he said. "Not with Florentino Perez, or anybody else. There was a meeting for other reasons. The player is calm, and very happy at River. We think there's no need to hurry. He's still developing, he's 17 years old. Neither the player nor we are in a hurry for him to leave."

According to AS, Real Madrid are in no hurry to finalise a deal. The club considers this summer’s transfer window closed and has no immediate plans to bring the young Argentine to Spain. Instead, Real Madrid are expected to maintain contact with River Plate throughout the season, with the possibility of signing Mastantuono in 2025 if his development continues as expected.

Mastantuono is under contract with River Plate until the end of 2026, with a release clause set at €45 million. This amount increases to €50 million during the final 10 days of the transfer window. However, it is expected that the Argentine club will likely want to secure a deal before the player’s contract enters its final year to avoid a reduced transfer fee.

If Mastantuono continues to impress, a move to the Bernabeu could be on the horizon in the coming years. It could be in 2025 but not unlikely in this current window.