Man Utd ‘seriously interested’ in Argentine sensation, as Real Madrid threaten Wilcox masterplan

Manchester United are ready to make a firm push to sign Franco Mastantuono, though both Chelsea and Real Madrid are also very keen and pose a big threat to Jason Wilcox’s plans to bring in the River Plate sensation, sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk.

The world’s biggest clubs are always on the lookout for the most exciting youngsters, and there is no one more coveted right now than the 17-year-old attacking midfielder.

Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Man Utd and Chelsea are both tracking Mastantuono and have been the ‘most active’ of his suitors so far. We understand the teenage star has been earmarked by United’s technical director Jason Wilcox as a major star of the future and he is leading the hint to bring the prospect to Old Trafford.

However, United and the Blues both face huge competition from Real Madrid, who also have the Argentine on their radar and we understand he would find a Bernabeu switch difficult to turn down.

He will stay at the club this year, according to club president Jorge Pablo Brito, and won’t be moving until the summer of 2026. That does not mean a deal cannot be agreed upon before then. It is common for South American youngsters to agree to join a European side, before leaving when they turn 18.

Real Madrid are firmly in the race for Mastantuono and are willing to match his release clause, which initially stood at £38m but has since risen to around the £45m mark. However, Man Utd and Chelsea haven’t given up hope…

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Race ignites for Argentinian wonderkid

Real Madrid are happy to wait until 2026 to sign Mastantuono, as are Man Utd and Chelsea, and the race is expected to ramp up in the coming weeks.

Man Utd are described as ‘seriously interested’ in Mastantuono by sources and have been watching his situation closely.

Ruben Amorim’s side have spoken with the teenager’s representatives and there is a possibility they could move to secure a deal this summer.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have a long history of snapping up the world’s most talented youngsters and Mastantuono certainly fits into that category.

Estevao Willian is set to arrive at Chelsea this summer from Palmeiras, another indication of their strong scouting network in South America.

Their next big target is Mastantuono and it remains to be seen whether Enzo Maresca’s side will submit a bid for him this summer.

He can play as an attacking midfielder or right-winger and has made 55 senior appearances to date for River Plate, notching seven goals and five assists in the process.

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Who is 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.

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