Real Madrid has officially announced their new player: Franco Mastantuono will become a Real Madrid player from August 14, 2025, on a six year deal until 2031. The Argentinian player, still only 18, comes from River Plate, and the Club World Cup will be the final competition he plays with them. Real Madrid wanted him to join earlier, while the club wanted him to stay until December so he would play Libertadores with him.
In the end, a deal was made so that Franco will join Real Madrid on August 14, the day he turns 18, meaning he will play World Cup with River Plate but will miss pre-season with Madrid. However, the club puts great hopes on him... perhaps too many.
According to Spanish sport journalist Manu Carreño, within the club they dream of making him a "Lamine Yamal dressed in white" so that, in the near future, they can recreate a rivalry like the one in the past between Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo defending the colours of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
That's a lot to expect for the attacking midfielder, only one month older than Yamal, but still with no clear place on the team: the only way he gets regular minutes in the squad is if somebody else gets benched, like Bellingham, Arda Guler, Rodrygo, or Brahim.