Real Madrid Plot ‘Endrick Plan’ to Beat PSG to Record-Breaking Talent | OneFootball

“Everything is at stake” for Real Madrid in the pursuit of teenage star Franco Mastantuono, racing to capture the young forward before new European champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Mastantuono is the latest superstar-in-the-making to emerge from River Plate in Argentina—the 17-year-old has already played more than 60 matches since debuting in 2024.

Given that South America has become a prime hunting ground for European clubs—Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Endrick, Vitor Roque, Estêvão Willian, and Kendry Páez are just some of the players to have signed big deals as teenagers—transfer interest in Mastantuono is clear.

AS report Real Madrid’s chief international scout, Juni Calafat, is currently in Buenos Aires and could meet with both River Plate and Mastantuono’s representatives. River Plate are insistent that a release clause worth $45 million must be met, which is leading Madrid down a similar to the one that delivered them a €60 million ($68.4 million) deal for Endrick at the end of 2022.

Madrid split the cost of Endrick between guaranteed money and performance-related add-ons, building a package that still eventually reached his release clause. For Mastantuono, they also don’t appear likely to trigger the clause, which would require $45 million to be paid in cash up front, tipped instead to offer that amount, overall, once add-ons are also taken into account.

It will give River Plate what they want without being too much of a financial strain on Real Madrid, after already committing to summer transfers for Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Mastantuono is making waves at River Plate. / IMAGO/Fotobaires

The main reason that River Plate is in such a strong position to demand an offer equivalent to Mastantuono’s full release clause is because its finances are healthy from cashing in on other talent in recent years. Through transfer fees and sell-on clauses, River Plate has banked €98 million ($111.7 million) from Enzo Fernández, Julián Álvarez and Claudio Echeverri alone since 2022.

Mastantuono, River Plate’s youngest ever goalscorer and third youngest ever player, is different to Endrick in that he turns 18 in August and would no longer be considered a minor—the fact he already has an Italian passport means he doesn’t need to wait to be 18 anyway. Endrick legally had to stay in Brazil for 18 months after his deal was agreed because of FIFA rules.

However, the plan is still for Mastantuono to stay in Argentina until the start of 2026. He is already partway through River Plate’s 2025 season, is keen to make his senior international debut for Argentina while still at the club, wants to play for them at the imminent Club World Cup and is hopeful of winning the Copa Libertadores, which will be decided near the end of the year.