'He's going to bring quality' - Xabi Alonso makes big claim about Franco Mastantuono as he confirms plans for wonderkid's debut

With Real Madrid set to take on Osasuna in their La Liga opener on August 19, manager Xabi Alonso revealed in the press conference that he could hand the teenager an immediate debut after his summer arrival. 

Mastantuono, just 17, joined Real this summer from River Plate. His maturity and quality have helped him get a place in the senior squad. Real have earlier promoted talents like Vinicius Jr and Arda Guler while they were still young, and the ritual has continued with the Argentine as well. The manager has said that he has found him to be self-confident, mature, and someone with a desire, and that he will soon integrate into the team.

Alonso said: "The first time I spoke to him, I was truly struck by his personality. He was still only 17 years old and very self-confident. He wasn't afraid of taking the step to come to Real Madrid. You can see his maturity, his desire, his quality. He's going to integrate very quickly into the team. He could get minutes tomorrow. He'll bring quality, energy, is committed defensively, and has good momentum. I've seen that he has that drive and that Argentine competitive spirit. He's good with the final pass. He's at a very good level."

Los Blancos are currently preparing for their game against Osasuna. After that fixture, they will face Real Oviedo on August 24 at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere.