17-year-old Mastantuono is expected to attract strong bids in the summer, with several major European clubs pursuing the player.
River Plate star Franco Mastantuono is attracting interest from a host of major European suitors, but AS understands the teenager is not expected to leave the Argentine club during the January transfer window.
The 17-year-old Mastontuono is followed by powerhouses such as Premier League trio Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain, Italians AC Milan and Inter Milan, and LaLiga's Barcelona.
Real Madrid shifts focus from Mastontuono
Spanish and European champions Real Madrid have also expressed an interest in Mastontuono, who made his first-team debut for River as a 16-year-old in January 2024.
Indeed, Los Blancos previously led the charge for the striker, but are said to have turned their attention elsewhere in recent weeks. The youngster is no longer thought to be a priority for Madrid's director of football Santiago Solari.
Firm Mastontuono is expected to approach in the summer
While River expects a quiet January when it comes to Mastontuono's future, much more movement is expected in the European off-season.
“There is nothing concrete at the moment and it does not look like that will change this winter,” a well-connected source told AS. “We will have to wait until the summer. Many clubs have started discussions, but nothing concrete yet.”
How much would Mastontuono cost?
A major stumbling block to a potential deal for Mastontuono appears to be River's valuation of the player. The player is contracted until 2026 and has a release clause of $45 million, an amount that interested clubs are reluctant to shell out in advance.
But River, a club that usually proves to be a tough negotiator, has so far rejected all informal offers lower than Mastontuono's full buyout fee.
Against this backdrop, the summer hopefuls will likely try to agree a payment plan with the Buenos Aires club: they will commit to meeting his release clause only if part of the fee takes the form of performance-based add-ons. This would replicate Madrid's approach when they sealed the signing of Endrick Felipe from Brazilian club Palmeiras in December 2022.
Mastontuono, a player who will be one of the main draws at this year's South American Under-20 Championship in Venezuela, has made 41 first-team appearances for River, scoring three goals and providing three assists.
As he turns 18 on August 14, the player has a Spanish passport. This increases his attractiveness for buying clubs in the European Union, as he would not take one of the team's limited number of permitted non-EU spots.
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