After more than a decade without signing a player born in Argentina, Real Madrid has broken that trend with the arrival of Franco Mastantuono, a young prospect from River Plate who will join the Spanish giants in August 2025, once he turns 18.

The last time the club bet on Argentine talent was back in 2010, when Ángel Di María arrived from Benfica for $30 million. “El Fideo” played a key role in Real Madrid’s triumph in the 2013–2014 Champions League, but left the club in 2014, marking the end of an era for Argentines at the Bernabéu.

A long wait after Di María

Since Di María’s departure, Real Madrid distanced itself from the Argentine market. In over ten years, the club didn’t sign another player from the country—despite being offered stars like Cristian Romero and Julián Álvarez, according to former player Óscar Ruggeri, who spoke with Florentino Pérez.

The Real Madrid president reportedly said that in order to sign an Argentine, “he has to be someone truly dazzling,” using Jude Bellingham as an example of the kind of standout talent they look for.

Now, that standard appears to have been met by Franco Mastantuono, who has been shining for River Plate despite his young age. Born in 2007, the midfielder became the youngest scorer in the club’s history and also the youngest-ever debutant with the Argentine national team.

Mastantuono, a record-breaking transfer

The signing of the young Argentine not only brings his country back into the Real Madrid squad, but also sets a new record: it's the most expensive transfer in Argentine football history. Real Madrid will pay approximately $49.5 million net to River Plate, with additional fees pushing the total to about $69.5 million.

Mastantuono will sign a six-year contract, running from August 14, 2025 to June 30, 2031, and will join the club after playing in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with River.