Barcelona face Real Madrid, Man City battle for 16-year-old Argentine whizkid
Barcelona are always on the prowl for the best young talents coming through, especially in recent times with their financial situation taking a hit.
As has been reported this week, the Blaugrana are already close to landing two former Real Madrid academy talents in Marcos Parriego (18) and Byron Mendoza (14) from Rayo Vallecano and Leganes, respectively.
Another young prospect that is on Barcelona’s radar is River Plate teenager Franco Mastantuono, a 16-year-old attacking midfielder enjoying a breakthrough season under Martin Demichelis.
More competition for Barcelona
However, it appears that competition for Mastantuono is growing, with TNT Sports Argentina reporting that Real Madrid have entered the race for the 16-year-old River Plate whizkid.
Furthermore, several other clubs including Manchester City and PSG are also understood to be monitoring the teenage prospect.
In fact, the report goes on to state that Real Madrid might be leading the chase for Mastantuono at this point and are even weighing up an offer for him in mid-2025 when he is closer to turning 18 (on August 14).
A special talent
A prodigious talent, Mastantuono became the third youngest player in River’s history to make his debut, surpassing the likes of Javier Saviola and Pablo Aimar.
A precocious talent coming through the ranks of the River Plate academy, the 16-year-old attacking midfielder made further history by becoming the youngest footballer to play in the River Plate vs Boca Juniors Superclásico earlier this year.
A left-footed, physically gifted player, Mastantuono is regarded as one of the most promising youngsters with a very high ceiling.
The teenager’s contract with River Plate runs until December 31, 2025 and has a release clause worth €30 million.
The Argentine outfit is already working to tie him down to a new deal amidst growing interest. The idea is to increase the release clause amount to €40 million.
