Madrid Universal
·6 June 2025
Atletico Madrid star’s advice to Real Madrid-linked teenage prodigy – ‘Choose with your heart’

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Yahoo sportsMadrid Universal
·6 June 2025
Franco Mastantuono has become the hottest topic at Real Madrid right now amid recent reports linking him with a move to Santiago Bernabeu.
Indeed, reports suggest Real Madrid are closing in on the capture of the River Plate starlet, who recently made history by becoming the youngest player to ever represent the Argentine national team.
Apart from Real Madrid, Mastantuono has also been courted by Paris Saint-Germain, who are ready to offer more to the River Plate starlet.
Amid ongoing speculation over his future, Mastantuono’s national teammate, Julian Alvarez has offered a little advice to the young playmaker.
Talking about Mastantuono’s debut, the Atletico Madrid star said (h/t MARCA), “I’m happy for the kids who got playing time, for Mastantuono’s debut, for Nico Paz. Fortunately, good players always emerge. That’s the history of Argentine football.
“There’s always quality. We have to support the younger players so they can join in and play with confidence.”
Franco Mastantuono recently made his senior team debut with Argentina (Photo by Marcelo Hernandez/Getty Images)
Alvarez was then asked about Mastantuono’s future, especially amid reports linking him to Real Madrid.
But even as an Atletico Madrid star, Alvarez refused to encourage Mastantuono to not join Real Madrid and instead offered a more diplomatic response.
“I spoke with him a bit. The truth is, everything that’s happening to him makes me very happy. He’s very young, but the things he does on the pitch and how he behaves off it makes him seem older,” he said.
“At his age, he’s done incredible things. He has impressive quality. He’s a star. I wish him the best, that he continues to grow. It depends on what he decides. I don’t know what will happen,” he added.
Finaly, Alvarez urged Mastantuono to choose with his heart and make sure he joins a club where he can continue to grow.
“Let him choose with his heart, do what he thinks is best for him, and continue to grow,” he concluded.
It remains to be seen whether or not Alvarez’s words of wisdom have any impact on Mastantuono’s decision making as the young playmaker looks to take the next step in his career.
With Real Madrid leading the chase, two scenarios could pan out. The first scenario could see the Argentine join Los Blancos immediately while the latter could see him remain at River Plate until the end of the year and then join the club.