Real Madrid new signing Franco Mastantuono bids emotional farewell to River Plate | OneFootball

Real Madrid completed the signing of teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono from Argentine giants River Plate last month.

The 17-year-old wonderkid became the Merengues’ third signing of the summer following the arrivals of Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

However, Real Madrid allowed Mastantuono to stay at River Plate and play for them at the FIFA Club World Cup.

The youngster is expected to arrive at the club in August, once he turns 18 years old.

Mastantuono says goodbye to River Plate

Following River Plate’s elimination from the Club World Cup at the group stage itself, Mastantuono’s time at the club is now at an end.

And taking to social media, the versatile attacking midfielder penned an emotional farewell message for his boyhood club ahead of his move to Real Madrid.

“Today it is my turn to write a few lines that I never imagined I would have to write so soon,” started Mastantuono.

“With my heart in my hand and many emotions, I want to tell you that I have to take a very important step in my career: a new stage is starting, at another club, in another place, with new challenges.”

Calling the move to Real Madrid an once-in-a-lifetime chance, he continued: “It’s a unique opportunity, one of those that comes along only once in a lifetime, and that every kid who dreams of playing football has longed for since he was a child.”

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Sharing his love for River Plate, the youngster wrote: “But before I look ahead, I need to tell you about what I leave behind. River is not only the club where I grew up as a player.

“It is my home, my family, the place where I learned what it means to wear this shirt with pride, with respect, with a hunger for glory.

“Every training session at the ground, every afternoon at the Monumental, every piece of advice from a teacher, every hug from a team-mate, is forever engraved in my history and in my heart.”

Mastantuono then expressed his gratitude to everyone who helped him at River Plate: “I leave full of gratitude. To the fans, for their unconditional affection. To all the people at the club for training me. To my teammates, for sharing this passion.

“And to my family, for always being there. River taught me that dreams are pursued with humility, effort and love for the shirt.”

In the final part, Mastantuono stressed that his desire to win and succeed with River has not gone, and that it will happen in the future.

“And yes, there is something I want to make very clear: my dream of winning things with River did not disappear. It didn’t go away. It just changed the order. Today it’s my turn to go out, to grow, to live new experiences and to learn.

“But the desire is still intact, stronger than ever. I know it will happen. Because dreams that are felt with the soul have no expiry date.”

“Thank you, River, for everything. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you soon,” he concluded.

Mastantuono is expected to arrive in Spain some time later this month and will be put to training under the supervision of Real Madrid’s staff, although he will have to wait until next month to report to Valdebebas to join his teammates.