Apart from Kylian Mbappe and Endrick, many expected Franco Mastantuono to become Real Madrid’s third signing of the summer.
The reigning European champions were closely linked with a move for the Argentine starlet, but after failing to find an agreement with River Plate, the club opted to back out from the race.
Now, shortly after the market close, a recent report from MARCA has given a detailed update on why Real Madrid backed out from the race to sign Mastantuono this summer.
Why Real Madrid exited Mastantuono chase
As per the report, the decision to withdraw from negotiations with the young talent came after a series of events that left the club feeling uneasy about the unfolding situation.
Real Madrid decided to distance themselves from the transfer due to the increasing speculation and rumours surrounding the operation.
“It is better to take a step back to protect our name,” a club source stated, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the club’s integrity in transfer dealings.
The situation escalated after multiple leaks suggested that Mastantuono’s move to Europe was imminent.
Real Madrid, known for their discretion in transfer operations, was not pleased with how their interest in the player was used to inflate the transfer fee.
In fact, the president of Mastantuono’s current club had to publicly deny the transfer rumours, a development that further pushed Madrid to reconsider their position.
The transfer saga became even more complex when other top clubs, including Manchester United and Barcelona, were suddenly linked with the player.
Sources believe these rumours were strategically planted to create a bidding war, something that Real Madrid categorically avoids.
The club’s decision to back out reflects a clear stance: they are unwilling to engage in bidding wars or be used as leverage to inflate player prices.
The situation around Mastantuono has shown the club’s commitment to its values of careful, measured transfer dealings.
The report cited an insider, who pointed out, “Real Madrid will continue to search for talent, but only on their terms, with silence and absolute discretion.”