Real Madrid FC is on the verge of signing 16-year-old talented Argentine midfielder Matías Mastantonio. The arrival of the young star, who hails from the prestigious Argentine club River Plate, marks an important step in Real Madrid's midfield rebuilding plan.
The urgency of a midfield rebuild
With the retirement of Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić approaching the age of 40, Real Madrid's midfield squad is in desperate need of a fresh infusion. Despite the excellent performances of young players such as Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde, the team's midfield rebuilding is still not fully complete. In order to remain competitive, Real Madrid urgently need to bring in a new midfielder with potential.
Enhance the presence in the South American market
In recent years, Manchester City's presence in the South American market has gradually increased, notably with the signing of high-profile Argentine player Julián Álvarez. Alvarez completed the Grand Slam in just two years and was worth 60 million euros, which made Real Madrid feel the pressure of competition from the Premier League's powerhouses. In order to continue to increase their presence in the South American market, Real Madrid decided to push for the signing of Mastantono, hoping to strengthen its position in South America.
Mastantono's technical characteristics and last season's stats
Mastantono is known for its superior technical characteristics and on-course intelligence. He has excellent ball control and vision, accurate passing and the ability to control the tempo of the game in midfield. An all-round midfielder, he excelled at both the offensive and defensive ends, with strong interceptions and tackles. At the same time, the most impressive thing is the similarity between him and Messi, the same nationality, the same left-footed ball control ability, and the same ability to break through in tight spaces, which is why he has played very little in the first team of River Plate (River Plate has made 8 substitute appearances, scored 1 goal and contributed 1 assist), but his value is as high as 45 million euros, and the Arab media has sought him after as the new Messi.
Termination Clause
It is reported that Mastantono's contract with River Plate includes a release clause of 45 million euros. The hefty release clause shows how much River Plate values the youngster and Mastantono's huge potential in international football. In the end, Real Madrid decided to activate this clause, bringing the Argentine rising star to the Bernabeu.
Social media buzz
The news of Mastantono's transfer has attracted a lot of attention on social media, especially Mina, the wife of Federico Valverde, a current Real Madrid player. As soon as the rumors first broke, she reposted the relevant news on social media and expressed her expectation and support for the transfer. This move not only sparked heated discussions among fans, but also further confirmed the possibility of Mastantono joining Real Madrid.
The issue of non-EU quotas
Due to the very tight quota of non-EU players at Real Madrid, the addition of Mastantono has caused concern from the outside world. However, this problem was quickly resolved. Mastantono holds an Italian passport, which means he will join Real Madrid as an EU player without taking up a valuable non-EU quota. This advantage makes his move smoother and gives Real Madrid more flexibility in their future transfer operations.