Barcelona have already sent scouts to keep an eye on 17-year-old Argentine gem | OneFootball

It is not uncommon for FC Barcelona to look for promising talents outside of Spain. While most of the young talent that the club deploys emerges from their own youth academy, they also have a certain tendency to keep an eye out in general. After all, Barcelona have been daring enough to make such gambles in the past as well.

For instance, the signing of Vitor Roque from Brazil was a clear indication of this. Similarly, Mikayil Faye was also not acquired from a mainstream league and was instead a player that the club scouted and focused on as a promising young talent.

Now, however, it is believed that the club is eyeing a rather talented midfielder from Argentina, who still plays in his own country’s domestic league for River Plate, one of the nation’s biggest and most prestigious clubs. However, Barcelona are keeping an eye on this player through some rather traditional means.

According to Mundo Deportivo, that player is none other than 17-year-old Argentine midfielder Franco Mastantuono, and Barcelona have already sent scouts in the past, precisely between October and November, to gather intel on the player and make a more in-depth report on his strengths and abilities.

However, this move is not any sort of signal of intent to potentially sign the player, and is instead strictly informational for the Catalan club. Before they even decide to move for the South American youngster at any point, the club wants to have as many details as possible.

At the moment, the player has a release clause worth €45 million and a contract in place until December of 2026. Moreover, as a precautionary method, his contract has a clause that increases his release clause to €50 million during the final days of any transfer window.

The player himself is clearly talented, and that is on display whenever he plays for River Plate. A skillful player who has a rather notable left foot, he has the eyes of a lot of European giants on him beyond just Barcelona, but he will have to wait until he is 18 in August of next year before he can make the jump to Europe.