Seventeen. Slick. Sharp. A freekick against Boca. A star born in fire.
Franco Mastantuono has lit up Argentina this season. The River Plate sensation is rewriting expectations—six goals, four assists, seventeen games. But the stats don’t tell the full story.
Manchester United have seen enough.
Caught Offside report that the Premier League giants are preparing a serious push for the teenager, who has quickly become the most coveted South American talent this year.
The difference? Ruben Amorim.
United’s new boss isn’t just interested—he’s pushing. Hard. He sees Mastantuono not as a prospect, but a project. A core piece. A statement. And he’s urging the board to act fast before the window closes and the sharks close in.
The price? £38 million. For now. River Plate know what they have. They want more. Talks of a new contract are swirling, not just to reward the kid—but to make him untouchable.
It might not matter.
Because when you watch Mastantuono glide past defenders—3.3 dribbles per match—or win battles with the tenacity of a man twice his age, you realize he’s not waiting for the future. He’s dragging it closer.
But if United can’t secure Champions League football, it may all be in vain. Real and Atleti already offer it. United must beat Spurs in the Europa League final. If they don’t, the dream fades fast.
The release clause may need to be paid in full. River won’t bargain. The world is watching, and they know it.
This isn’t just a transfer—it’s a battle for the soul of what United could become.