Franco Mastantuono makes transfer decision amid Chelsea & Man Utd links

River Plate board member Stefano Di Carlo insisted that the club's 17-year-old starlet Franco Mastantuono will not be going anywhere despite mounting interest from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.

Mastantuono's prodigious talent was announced to a wider audience when he became the youngest scorer in River Plate's 124-year history with a goal in February 2024. The teenager has since surpassed half a century of senior appearances and scored his seventh professional goal in style this weekend, bending a sumptuous free kick into the top corner against arch-rivals Boca Juniors.

Such form has prompted admiring glances from clubs across the continent. Real Madrid are said to be monitoring the talented Argentine, while the Premier League duo of Chelsea and Manchester United are billed as two of his keenest suitors.

However, River Plate have no intention of losing their latest academy starlet. Board member Di Carlo was asked by SportsCenter over the weekend whether Mastantuono would be a River player for the remainder of 2025. "Yes, yes," he nodded, "that's a certainty already."

Mastantuono's contract lasts until 2026 and contains a buyout clause. Initial reports put the figure at 45m (�38.3m) but The Athletic now claim that it has since risen to 50m (�42.5m).

Once he turns 18 in August, Mastantuono can freely move to any club. The possibility of obtaining an Italian passport would simplify any transfer to Real Madrid, as La Liga has restrictions on the number of squad slots afforded to players from outside the EU. There would still have to be plenty of visa wrangling were he to join a Premier League side following Britain's split from the rest of the continent.

Fellow River academy graduate Enzo Fernandez is certain that Mastantuono would thrive in Europe. The Chelsea midfielder recently hailed the teenager as an "incredible player" who could have a long future in the Argentina national team.

Before navigating the prospect of international football or a Premier League transfer, Mastantuono has more immediate challenges on the horizon. The 17-year-old had to get River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo to call the school and request his geography exam be delayed so that he could play against Boca and still have ample time to revise, according to Reuters.

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