Franco Mastantuono's Loan Move from Real Madrid
Franco Mastantuono’s Real Madrid gamble is about to be paused.
Left out of José Mourinho’s squad for the trip to Austria to face Fiorentina in a pre-season friendly, the 19-year-old Argentine is now on the brink of a loan move away from the Bernabéu, according to Spanish outlet AS. Inside the club, his omission was not a surprise. It was a signal.
Omitted – and on his way
Several absentees jumped off Madrid’s team sheet for their third pre-season game. Dean Huijsen stayed behind with an injury. Antonio Rüdiger, still short of full fitness, was also missing. Mastantuono, though, was fit. He simply didn’t travel.
Club sources quoted by AS described his absence as “expected”. While his teammates boarded the plane, Mastantuono remained in the Spanish capital, with the final details of a loan exit being ironed out. The decision, long in the making, now looks irreversible.
It closes a difficult first chapter in Madrid for a player who arrived with heavy expectations and a heavy price tag. Signed from River Plate for more than 60 million euros, Mastantuono was billed as one of the brightest South American prospects of his generation. His debut season never came close to matching that hype.
A shrinking role and modest return
The campaign started with optimism. Mourinho and the technical staff saw a pathway for him, minutes to be earned, a role to be carved out in a squad brimming with talent. That path narrowed quickly.
As the months passed, his influence faded. Opportunities dried up. By the end of the season, the numbers told a blunt story: fewer than 1,500 minutes in all competitions, three goals, one assist. For a player of his fee and profile, it was a thin return.
Inside Valdebebas, the feeling is clear: next season will be even more unforgiving. Madrid are strengthening again, and the competition for attacking and creative spots is intensifying.
The imminent arrival of Diomande has been a key factor in the decision. With another significant signing coming in, Mourinho and the hierarchy have concluded that there simply isn’t enough room to guarantee Mastantuono the minutes he needs. A loan has emerged as the only realistic way to protect both the player’s development and the club’s investment.
Italy calling, England listening
Where he goes next is still open, but the queue is forming.
Serie A clubs have moved early. Fiorentina, Madrid’s opponents in Austria, were among the first to register interest in a loan deal. Roma and Milan are also tracking the situation, sensing an opportunity to bring in a high-ceiling talent without a permanent commitment.
From the Premier League, Fulham have joined the race. Their sporting director, Álvaro Arbeloa, knows the Madrid environment inside out and has made no secret, according to AS, of his admiration for Mastantuono’s potential and his desire to bring him to London during this window.
The idea of a return to River Plate has circulated in recent weeks, fuelled by nostalgia and the notion of a reset in familiar surroundings. That door, though, is firmly shut. AS reports that neither the player nor Real Madrid are considering a move back to Argentina.
For both sides, the logic is simple: Mastantuono must stay in Europe. The club want him to continue adapting to the pace, physicality, and tactical demands of European football. The player, ambitious and aware of the expectations that followed his transfer, shares that view.
The next destination will not just be a temporary escape from the Bernabéu spotlight. It will be the stage on which he proves whether last season was a stumble – or the first warning sign that Madrid’s expensive bet might not pay off.
