Mastantuono joins Fiorentina on loan from Madrid
Franco Mastantuono will spend the 2026-2027 campaign in Serie A after his season-long loan move to Fiorentina from Real Madrid was confirmed.
It has been reported that the agreement for Mastantuono's loan does not include an option to buy, despite the Argentinean failing to make an impact in his first season at Madrid.
The 18-year-old moved to the Spanish capital last season for a reported €45 million ($73.6 million) transfer fee from River Plate and was expected to deliver big things for Los Blancos.
However, that failed to transpire. Mastantuono made 35 appearances in all competitions, starting just 17 times, which resulted in 1,484 minutes of action across the campaign.
Mastantuono managed just three goals in those outings, with his lack of game time also seeing him miss out on a spot in Argentina's 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
After the arrival of Yan Diomande for a reported transfer fee of up to €140 million ($229 million) from RB Leipzig and Vinicius Junior signing a new six-year deal with Madrid, Mastantuono has fallen further down the pecking order and is deemed surplus to requirements by head coach Jose Mourinho.
"Real Madrid and Fiorentina have agreed on the loan of the player Franco Mastantuono until the end of next season, on June 30, 2027," a statement from the the LaLiga giant read.
Fiorentina was on the lookout for attacking reinforcements after an underwhelming Serie A campaign in 2025-2026, finishing 15th and eight points above the relegation zone.
La Viola scored just 41 goals during its league season, with Moise Kean the club's top scorer in the top flight with eight goals.
Mastantuono was absent from Madrid's 2-2 draw with Fiorentina at the start of August, with Endrick and Alexis Ciria on target for Mourinho's men at Worthersee Stadion.
Fiorentina begins its Serie A campaign on 25 August (AEST) away to Roma, with its first home game coming five days later against Frosinone.
