While there is much noise and excitement over the arrival of Kylian Mbappe and Endrick at Real Madrid this summer, it appears the club have already started the hunt to find the big star in South America.

Real Madrid, after all, have relied heavily on the successes of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde in recent years. They are keen on unearthing more hidden gems in South American football in the years to come.

Real Madrid leading the race to sign Franco Mastantuono

To that end, Real Madrid are among the clubs keeping close tabs on Franco Mastantuono, a 16-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder.

Mastantuono has been making waves in Argentine football with his performances in youth levels. In fact, he has already become a part of the River Plate senior side, at the age of just 16.

According to TNT Sports, Real Madrid are closely following Mastantuono’s progress. There are multiple clubs interested in the young midfielder, but Los Blancos appear to be leading the race to sign the player.

As has been previously reported, Barcelona and PSG are already following the youngster. More teams like Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, SL Benfica, and Inter Milan are also keen.

Mastantuono’s current contract expires on December 31, 2025 and given his explosive performances at such a young age, a move to Europe could soon be on the horizon.

A rising star in Argentine football (Photo by Daniel Jayo/Getty Images)

And Real Madrid will continue to follow him before considering making an offer in 2025, when he is closer to turning 18.

What makes Mastantuono an appealing target?

As mentioned earlier, Mastantuono has impressed onlookers with his performances in his native Argentina. At just 16, the youngster has featured in nine competitive matches for River Plate, even scoring a goal.

An attacking midfielder by trade, Mastantuono is known for his technical ability and versatility in the final third. He can operate on the right flank and is an expert when it comes to taking on opposition defenders.

Mastantuono has shown immense promise during the early stages of his career. He could, therefore, be an interesting bet for Real Madrid, as they look to shore up their ranks in the youth department.

However, it must be noted that Real Madrid are not in a position to sign Mastantuono immediately and would have to wait until he turns 18, before they can make him a part of the youth setup.