Setback with Mastantuono: Real Madrid don't finalize his arrival and another top club makes an offer

One of the players on Real Madrid's list of potential signings, in line with Xabi Alonso's requests, is Franco Mastantuono. The Argentine midfielder offers one of the profiles requested by the new merengue coach to strengthen the white midfield. Toni Kroos's retirement and Luka Modric's farewell are two major setbacks from which the first team's midfield hasn't recovered.

The goal of signing the River Plate footballer is none other than to solve that dilemma being experienced in the Valdebebas offices. Despite Real Madrid's need to sign midfielders, as well as the strong desired bond between the talented "millonario" and the entity presided over by Florentino Pérez, things aren't going well.

The information published by Fabrizio Romano indicates that there are still certain interests in Franco Mastantuono in Spain and England, but he places the main candidate to secure his services in France. The Italian journalist recalls that PSG is working "really hard" to sign the attacking midfielder from Azul. "Talks and negotiations are already underway," the Italian reporter states.

That situation considerably complicates the signing of River Plate's '30' by Real Madrid. Although the merengue scouts have warned that he is a great midfielder, the white executives haven't taken any immediate action to try to secure his signing. That inaction has made it easier for other clubs to submit offers and move toward the desired goal.

Increasingly difficult

PSG's emergence in the hypothetical signing of Franco Mastantuono is a complication that has been looming over this summer transfer market saga for some time. Until now, it hadn't materialized, causing Real Madrid to lose much of the momentum accumulated in this signing.

In any case, the merengue squad will keep itself as a candidate in the signing of Franco Mastantuono until the future of the "millonario" attacking midfielder is definitively sealed by PSG. In this scenario, his "loss" would quickly be replaced by other proposals that offer a similar fit with Xabi Alonso's tactical demands.

Because the Tolosa coach is also looking for a creative midfielder with a defensive profile, an organizing pivot that he would have lost with Toni Kroos's retirement in 2024. Luka Modric's departure further reduces the creative capabilities of the white midfield, a dilemma that the white negotiators would try to solve with signings like Florian Wirtz or Franco Mastantuono.

Neither of those last two signings would be working out. Not only because of the high financial demands, according to the merengue leadership, put forward by their original teams. Also because of fierce competition from some elite European clubs, which offer better financial conditions compared to the hypothetical Madrid contract proposal.