Revealed: Real Madrid Pays Shocking Price for River Plate's Teen Sensation Mastantuono
River Plate has disclosed that Real Madrid's purchase of midfielder Franco Mastantuono exceeded the value of his release clause alone.
The transfer of Mastantuono, considered among the finest young prospects globally, was announced on Friday, with the young star set to join the Santiago Bernabéu in August after his 18th birthday.
While the release clause details were previously known, River has now revealed that Madrid actually invested a total of $72.6 million to acquire Mastantuono, establishing him as the most valuable export in Argentine football history.
"River Plate will obtain a net sum of €45 million ($51.7 million)," according to an official statement.
"The remaining amount is allocated as follows:
• €11.8 million ($13.6 million): Spanish tax authorities.
• €1.4 million ($1.6 million): Association of Football Players.
• €0.9 million ($1 million): AFA Structural Funds.
• €3.6 million ($4.1 million): Decree 510/2023.
• €0.5 million ($0.6 million): Other "
In an interview with AS, Martín Demichelis, who previously managed River Plate and gave Mastantuono his first-team debut at age 16, shared his enthusiasm about the talented midfielder.
"Throughout 2023, my inaugural year coaching River Plate, I continuously heard Mastantuono's name mentioned," he shared. "I was familiar with the U-17 squad players, but Franco competed at an even lower level, and I hadn't observed him play or train. I dispatched a trusted colleague, Edgardo Sbrissa, to evaluate him. Upon returning, he informed me that the rumors about Franco were inaccurate because he was actually superior to what was being said. The following day, in October of that year, we invited him to train with us, and he immediately impressed me.
"His confidence and composure [were remarkable]. He conducted himself on and off the pitch like a seasoned professional. In my methodology, I deeply value human physiology and developmental processes. During pre-season, we had planned for him to moderate his training intensity, but surprisingly, he not only handled the physical demands adequately but emerged as one of the standout performers in that aspect.
"At that moment, I needed to convey the reality to [the club]. I informed them that he would make his debut that weekend and that they urgently needed to increase [his release clause]. I explained that Franco wasn't merely destined to be a River Plate star, but that he was Real Madrid caliber. I emphasized that his value would significantly exceed the €25 million that City paid for [Claudio] Echeverri. I specifically stated that Franco would eventually play for Madrid. Subsequently, they skillfully raised the release clause to €45 million, which is quite impressive, considering agents typically resist such high figures to facilitate quick transfers of their clients.
"Such talent is uncommon. Let me share another touching detail. When I embraced Franco on my final day at River Plate, I told him: 'Our next meeting will be when I come to watch you perform in a Real Madrid jersey'."