A former member of the midfield ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona has this weekend moved to reveal his appreciation for the talents of new Real Madrid signing Franco Mastantuono.
The name of youngster Mastantuono has of course dominated the headlines in Spain’s capital over the last 24 hours.
This comes after the 17-year-old’s long-anticipated Real Madrid switch was finally made official.
As per a statement across the website and social media platforms of Los Blancos:
‘Real Madrid CF announces that Franco Mastantuono will be a player for our club for the next six seasons, from August 14, 2025, to June 30, 2031.’
Mastantuono, a supremely talented attack-minded midfielder, will arrive in Madrid with lofty expectations on his young shoulders.
This comes with the Argentine international having long been considered one of the standout young talents in all of South America.
One individual, though, confident that Mastantuono has all of the necessary traits to make a success of himself in Madrid, is Javier Mascherano.
Speaking ahead of his Inter Miami side’s upcoming Club World Cup bow, ex-Barcelona star Mascherano was drawn on Mastantuono’s talents.
This comes with the Blaugrana icon having overseen the starlet’s development with Argentina’s U20s.
And, in quotes relaid by Mundo Deportivo, Mascherano explained:
“I was lucky enough to meet him and coach him in the U-20s. He’s an incredible player, very young but with a lot of quality and a really good mentality. It’s hard to find that kind of player at that age.”
“He’s taking a big step. He was already at one of the best teams in the world, River Plate , but when teams like Real Madrid or Barcelona come after you, it’s hard to say no. I wish him all the best. He has all the qualities to play for Real Madrid. In the end, it will depend on him over time, trying to maintain his level, improve, grow, and show his value.”
Conor Laird – GSFN
