Man Utd declare intention to activate star’s €45m release clause

Manchester United have ‘already stated that they are willing to exercise the €45 million buyout clause’ in an attacker’s contract, though why the Red Devils still face an uphill struggle to seal a deal has been revealed.

Franco Mastantuono is a player hitting the headlines for all the right reasons lately. The 17-year-old is among the brightest prospects Argentina have produced in recent years and given that country’s footballing pedigree, it serves as an indication of how highly the teenager is regarded.

Mastantuono plays either as an attacking midfielder or right winger for River Plate. He scored a memorable direct free-kick in the 2-1 victory over bitter rivals Boca Juniors last Sunday.

TEAMtalk brought news at the beginning of the week of Man Utd being serious contenders to snap the Argentine up.

Chelsea, Real Madrid and AC Milan are in the mix too, while the latest out of Argentina listed Marseille, PSG and Atletico Madrid among Mastantuono’s admirers.

That was followed by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano sharing his information on on the story on YouTube. And thankfully for Man Utd, Romano suggested Real Madrid will NOT be a factor in the race despite their admiration of the player.

“This boy is really special. His left foot feels something really, really special,” said Romano.

“The release clause is there, we know about that. It’s something around €41m plus taxes so the clause is there and it’s probably the only way to convince River Plate to sign Franco Mastantuono.”

On Real Madrid, Romano explained their motivations for pulling the plug on their pursuit are purely financial and not related to the player.

The reporter added: “My understanding is Real Madrid on the point of view of agents’ side, commission, total package of the Mastantuono deal… already a few months ago when they meeting around October, November, December, they were not so happy with that package.

“So that’s why Real Madrid at the moment are not proceeding. They know the player and like the player, but at current conditions Real Madrid are still not proceeding.

“English clubs are interested, Chelsea, Man Utd, all these clubs are well informed on the situation, so it’ll be one to watch for sure.”

Calciomercato then described Man Utd as being in pole position to seal a deal. They also claimed United planned to table a bid in the coming days.

And per the latest from Argentine outlet TyC Sports, Man Utd have ‘already stated that they are willing to exercise the €45 million buyout clause, albeit in instalments.’

Clubs cannot officially register Mastantuono until he turns 18 in August but can still agree personal terms with the player and seal a deal with River Plate. All that would be delayed is Mastantuono’s arrival date.

The report was strong in the suggestions Man Utd will meet the full asking price, though there is a bump in the road…

Real Madrid appeal proves strong

TyC Sports stated Mastantuono’s entourage are firm in the belief their client should sign for Real Madrid.

As stated by Romano, Los Blancos aren’t inclined to sign the player any time soon, though his camp are reportedly prepared to remain with River Plate until Real Madrid change their mind.

As such, Man Utd must now convince the player to abandon his dreams of playing for Real Madrid in favour of moving to Old Trafford.

United do have recent history of doing exactly that when convincing Leny Yoro to make that same decision last summer.

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GO DEEPER: Why the scramble to sign Franco Mastantuono

By Samuel Bannister

Writing for TEAMtalk in April 2024, scouting expert Ben Mattinson highlighted Mastantuono’s potential, explaining: “Mastantuono is destined for the very top. Real Madrid, Man City, Bayern… that’s the type of level team he’ll join.

“The Argentinian creative right-winger/#10 hybrid has a ridiculously good weight of pass on through balls and excellent vision to pick out players. He sees things before most and plays with real maturity and loves to take on responsibility of winning the game even when he’s the youngest on the pitch.”

That was when Mastantuono was just 16 years old and he has continued to develop since, with over 50 appearances for River Plate’s first team before reaching adulthood.

A left-footed attacking midfielder, Mastantuono often plays as a no.10, but can drift to the right wing. Standing at just under six feet tall, he isn’t the strongest physically, but causes plenty of danger dribbling into the box thanks to his nifty footwork and vision.

His technique is exceptional, as evidenced by how he takes control of the ball and passes it on to his teammates.

At the time of writing, Mastantuono has as many goals as he does assists. It’ll be interesting to see which area he becomes more dangerous in as his career progresses.

Several of his youth coaches have observed his powerful ball-striking ability, which could make him a frequent goal-getter in years to come – as could his ability from free kicks. He’s also received praise for his one-on-one dribbling ability.

Mastantuono seems destined for the top and will be eager to prove himself on the biggest stages.