Jose Mourinho has some major decisions to make when it comes to the futures of some of the fringe players in the squad. The new arrivals means departures are needed and there are a number of players who's futures still remain up in the air, but for one player, his future could be close to being decided despite a so far strong pre-season.
As being reported by Diario AS (via Yahoo Sports) Serie A side Fiorentina are the favorites to land Franco Mastantuono on loan as the attacker looks set for a move away from the Bernabeu in search of regular playing time this season. The Argentine faces an uphill battle to be a main feature in Jose Mourinho's squad and rather than sit on the bench, the club and the player are in discussions for a loan move to be completed before the transfer window closes.
Mastantuono nearing much needed summer loan move
The 18-year-old arrived at Los Blancos last summer for a fee that can reach up to €60 million after having a breakout tournament with River Plate during last summers FIFA Club World Cup. The Argentine arrived with his expectations on his shoulders, and while there's no denying he has immense potential at his young age, his time at the Bernabeu hasn't set the world on fire like many were expecting. He struggled to make much of an impact when given the opportunity, only managing three goals in 33 appearances across all competitions.
He regularly saw the pitch under Xabi Alonso but his game time took a major hit becoming almost nonexistent under under Alvaro Arbeloa and now it seems playing time will be just as hard to come by under Jose Mourinho. As a result a loan move seems to be the plan for the youngster with Fiorentina being the favorites, but there are a number of other clubs in the running. Other clubs like Fulham, Villarreal, Real Sociedad, Sevilla, Sporting CP, Juventus, and even a return to River Plate remain options.
Real Madrid face Fiorentina in a pre-season friendly in Austria on August 1st, giving the two clubs the perfect time to discuss a deal for the player. Fiorentina already signed Castilla product Victor Valdepenas this summer and seem to have a good relationship with Los Blancos.
A deal would most likely just be a season long loan with Real Madrid still having loads of confidence in the player for the future, but believe he needs more regular minutes to reach his potential. For an attacker going to a defensive league like Serie A could prove to be the wrong call but at the end of the day only time will tell.
Add us as a preferred source on Google