Franco Mastantuono is writing a new chapter with Real Madrid. The Argentine has turned heads inside the Spanish club during the opening days of pre-season, and it comes after an inconsistent first campaign left his future in doubt. His training performances have flipped the narrative, placing him among the players who have won the admiration of Jose Mourinho, a sign that could turn his future at the club upside down.
Spanish outlet "Marca" report that Mastantuono is among those who have surprised Mourinho most in the early days of preparation. His technical and physical level has stood out, making him one of the names to catch the Portuguese's eye.
For eleven days now, Real Madrid have trained at Valdebebas without a number of internationals who have yet to rejoin the squad. Mourinho has used the window to assess the players available to him, chief among them those whose standing came into question after the criticism they faced last season for a dip in form.
Mastantuono has been the biggest winner from this phase. He left the best impression on the Portuguese, who is still shaping his new side, both by identifying his core players and developing the style of play. Real Madrid may yet see further departures and a new signing remains on the table, but the youngster has shown he can compete hard for a place in the starting line-up.
Mourinho's admiration did not appear overnight. The newspaper points out that Xabi Alonso had spotted the player's potential earlier, as had Alvaro Arbeloa during his time overseeing the youth teams. The deal to sign him was one of the most closely watched last season, with Alonso viewing the right wing as his best position and handing him plenty of chances to prove himself.
Mastantuono began the season promisingly. He started against Albacete in the Copa del Rey, then made his first European start against Monaco before also featuring against Benfica. In La Liga, he was handed numerous early opportunities, but his minutes gradually dropped away, before a heavy blow arrived: a two-match suspension after his stoppage-time red card against Getafe.
From that point, the former River Plate man slipped out of the starting XI. His confidence visibly suffered, and then came another setback when he missed out on the Argentina squad for the World Cup, despite being rated one of the most exciting talents in Argentine football.
Real Madrid had paid around 60 million euros to bring Mastantuono in as one of South America's brightest prospects. His first season fell short of expectations, and that opened the door to plenty of speculation about his future.
Mourinho, like Alonso before him, greatly values Mastantuono's willingness to play with intensity and carry out high-pressing duties, qualities the Portuguese sees as essential to his new project. He is now working to rebuild the player's confidence and give him the right environment to show his true talent and prove he can succeed in a Real Madrid shirt.
A loan move was also seriously discussed inside the club's corridors, much like the path taken by Brazil's Endrick, who joined Lyon and is set to work under Mourinho during the new season.
Real Madrid, however, are not thinking of cutting ties with Mastantuono for good. Club chiefs believe adapting to European football takes time, especially for a player of this age in his first season away from Argentina.
Several Premier League clubs have shown interest in recent weeks, along with sides in Italy, while a loan within La Liga also remains a possibility. Villarreal and Real Sociedad are among the clubs said to be keen on his services.