Teenage talent says it was important the coach “showed that confidence in me”
Argentina’s midfield prodigy Franco Mastantuono was officially unveiled as a Real Madrid player at Valdebebas on Thursday, the same day he turned 18.
Madrid had agreed a deal with River Plate in June but had to wait until he reached the legal age to complete the transfer.
After signing a six-year contract, the teenager explained that a conversation with Xabi Alonso was influential in his decision to join Real Madrid ahead of other interested clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, whose manager Luis Enrique he hailed as “a great coach”.
Alonso had called Mastantuono on the phone when he was in Argentina and explained the Madrid project and what he needed from him.
A source at Valdebebas told The Athletic: “For a boy of his age to be called by the coach of Real Madrid and told how important he will be for him…”
“It was very important for me that the coach showed that confidence in me,” Mastantuono said at a news conference on Thursday. “Obviously it was a private conversation, but it influenced me a lot. It gave me a lot of confidence, and the way he did it, it meant a lot.”
Presented by club president Florentino Perez, Mastantuono posed with the number 30 shirt and described joining Madrid as “a dream”.
Perez hailed him as “one of the biggest talents to emerge in world football in recent years” and drew comparisons with the legend Alfredo Di Stefano, another player who moved from River Plate to the Spanish giants.
The youngster will train with the squad for the first time on Friday, and be in contention – although not certain to play – for Madrid’s opener against Osasuna on Tuesday.
