Who is Franco Mastantuono? Meet the Real Madrid target who has been dubbed the 'new Phil Foden'
Spanish giants Real Madrid look set to complete a move for 16-year-old River Plate wonderkid Franco Mastantuono, who has been dubbed the 'new Phil Foden.' They are set to beat out fierce rivals Barcelona to his signature in the upcoming transfer window.
The Argentine midfielder played both tennis and football as a youngster, shining in both sports. He actually turned down an offer from River Plate as a 10-year-old to pursue tennis, but signed a deal with them when they approached him again in 2019.
He quickly progressed up the youth levels, even being inducted into the Under-17 team at the tender age of 15. In August 2023, he signed a two-year contract with River, which included a €45 million release clause even though he hadn't made a single senior appearance.
His talent, however, was on display very soon. The nifty dribbling, precise technique, magical ball control and impressive football IQ that he demonstrated in the youth game translated impeccably at the senior level.
He has already made 12 appearances for the River Plate first team, netting twice and assisting once. He became the youngest goalscorer in their history when he netted against Excursionistas in the Copa Argentina in February 2024.
His first goal in South America's continental competition, the Copa Libertadores, can be seen at 1:54 in the video below:
He was called up to Argentina's Under-17 side as a 15-year-old in July 2022, making his debut and playing the full 90 minutes against Uruguay Under-17. He also featured off the bench in their fourth-placed finish at the 2023 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Indonesia.
His style of play has drawn many parallels, but the most striking one was football journalist Thomas Hindle comparing him to Manchester City star Phil Foden.
In an article for Goal, he wrote:
"The two [Mastantuono and Foden] share the same shifty ability on the ball, and footballing IQ to make things happen in tight areas. There are also undeniable parallels in their shooting form. And although Mastantuono has claimed that his childhood idols all came through Argentine football, his resemblance to Foden is striking."
Real Madrid have a rich history of developing South American talents, with Franco Mastantuono set to become the latest addition
Real Madrid have a rich history of scouting for young South American talent and turning them into some of the best players in the world. The likes of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde have already blossomed into superstars after joining the club in their teenage years.
Vinicius endured three tough seasons since his arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2018. However, Real persisted with him, and he is now rewarding them with one world-class season after another, consistently notching 30+ goal contributions every campaign.
Rodrygo has also become one of the best wingers in La Liga. He has been Real Madrid's man for the big occasion, with seven goals (four against Manchester City, three against Chelsea) in Champions League knockout games over the last three seasons.
Valverde has arguably been one of the best midfielders in the world over the last few seasons. He has turned a world-class player who can be deployed in almost any position, and has become Mr. Dependable for Los Blancos.
Real Madrid have kept the South American trend going, with Brazilian wonderkid Endrick already set to join them in the summer for €35 million plus €25 million in add-ons. The 17-year-old has bagged four goals and two assists in 18 senior games since his debut in February 2024.
He also netted in back-to-back international friendlies for Brazil against England and Belgium in March 2024, putting the entire world on notice.
16-year-old Argentine midfielder Franco Mastantuono is likely become the latest addition to Real Madrid's burgeoning group of South American talent.