Giant eyes Mastantuono to link up with fellow Argentine | OneFootball

The former River midfielder is going through a difficult time at Los Blancos, and eyes from Italy are already on him.

The whistles that echoed last Saturday from the stands of the Santiago Bernabéu resonated throughout the Spanish capital and spread across Europe. One of the main targets at Real Madrid was Franco Mastantuono, who has yet to win over the fans and is experiencing a complicated footballing present. Nevertheless, his talent continues to attract interest across the continent, and in recent hours it has emerged that a giant club is closely monitoring him.

As names begin to circulate and the transfer market heats up, Inter Milan has included the Argentine midfielder on its list of priorities for the upcoming season. According to the outlet Calciomercato, they see his signing as a strategic opportunity given the current situation at Los Blancos.

The Nerazzurri’s intention, besides giving Lautaro Martínez another great partner, is to strengthen their project with young talent, a direction set by Oaktree, the ownership group that controls both the sporting and institutional aspects of the club. In this plan, other names linked to the Madrid side have also surfaced, such as Nico Paz and Arda Güler, although both options quickly cooled off due to internal decisions made by Florentino Pérez’s management.

The case of the midfielder who came up through River has gained momentum following those setbacks. According to the Italian press, he is the youngster with the highest chance of leaving in the next transfer window, since at Real Madrid, no one dares to rule out the possibility of sending him out on loan outside Spain so he can fully adapt to the pressure and frenetic pace of the major leagues.

The option being discussed is a move with a buy-back clause, a mechanism Inter has already accepted in recent deals. This format directly recalls the precedent of Paz at Como 1907, a negotiation that satisfied all parties. At Inter, they believe that experience could facilitate a similar agreement, with the possibility of developing the player and bringing him back to Madrid in the future if he reaches his full potential.

At just 18 years old, Mastantuono is going through a period of adaptation after his abrupt move to Europe, having been transferred by River in mid-2025. After overcoming a pubic injury, he alternated appearances and posted interesting statistics, but his level has yet to fully convince the fans: two goals and one assist in 19 official matches, though still without consistent playing time.

Inter is the opposite of Real Madrid: they are enjoying a great domestic run, leading Serie A with Lautaro in top scoring form. Moreover, Cristian Chivu’s team remains in contention on all fronts, with a spot secured in the quarterfinals of the Coppa Italia and a privileged position in the Champions League. This competitive environment is one of the factors that makes adding young talent with international potential so appealing, helping to sustain the squad’s ambitions.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.