Real Madrid attacker Franco Mastantuono did not start against Deportivo Alaves in Tuesday night's hard fought 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the Argentinian gem was able to come off the bench for a valuable 30 minutes in La Liga.
And in that half hour of action, the 18 year old from River Plate, once again, failed to make an impression on the game, and his inability to beat defenders or progress the ball out wide from the right wing has been a hallmark of his early tenure in the Spanish capital.
Mastantuono joined Real Madrid this past summer at the behest of both Juni Calafat and former manager Xabi Alonso, and he has done little to distinguish himself positively. He set the team back an excess of 60 million euros, which was a massive investment for a player, while full of potential, who had accomplished relatively little beyond some nifty highlights.
Franco Mastantuono needs a loan
Real Madrid chose to loan Endrick to Lyon instead, and Franco Mastantuono has done little to prevent Real from regretting this decision, whereas the Brazilian youngster is flying high in Ligue 1, having just spearheaded an upset over PSG this past weekend.
The only option for Mastantuono after the 2025/26 La Liga season is clear to Real Madrid. They have to loan him. If they are willing to loan or even permanently sell young striker Gonzalo Garcia this coming summer transfer window, then they 100 percent have to allow a player who is even less ready for the first team to go get his licks in.
While Real Madrid have invested too heavily to give up in a player with as much raw technical quality as Mastantuono, he is going to have to do a lot in order to step up. Because Real have seen gems in the past flop, too, and Mastantuono does not want to follow in the foot steps of 2020 winter signing and attacking midfielder Reinier Jesus, whose loan at Dortmund sealed his disastrous signing - a rare clear miss from Juni Calafat.
The flashes of potential from Mastantuono are there, but the big concern, beyond the lack in speed and explosiveness to play out wide in a team that will get even more loaded in the attacking midfield with Nico Paz coming back next season, is the young man's attitude. He has to fight harder and play for the badge in every minute, and perhaps loaning will also serve the benefit of humbling this special prospect.
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