Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Real Madrid’s next signing, as Xabi Alonso’s side continue to pick up the pace in the transfer market.

Real Madrid are poised to approach the FIFA Club World Cup later this month with a new face, having recruited Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen. Xabi Alonso’s side are also actively pursuing Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller.

More recently, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Real Madrid were close to finalizing the signing of young prodigy Franco Mastanuono from River Plate.

On social media platform X, Romano wrote: “Real Madrid are very close to signing Franco Mastanuono. An official announcement will be made soon. The race is over, Real Madrid have signed a full personal agreement with Mastanuono. All that remains is to negotiate with River Plate over the payment structure, instead of activating the $45 million (40 euro) termination clause of the contract, after which the deal will be finalized.”

Sources said on June 5 that Real Madrid had signed a deal with the 17-year-old Argentine midfielder, with manager Xabi Alonso playing a key role in helping Los Blancos overcome fierce competition from Paris Saint-Germain to secure the young talent’s signature.

However, the date for Mastanuono’s signing for the Spanish club remains uncertain. Initially, the player wanted to stay at River Plate for the Club World Cup. The Argentine club also hoped to keep him until the end of the year for the Copa Libertadores campaign. Real Madrid, on the other hand, planned to propose the transfer until next January, but the intensification of negotiations with PSG forced them to act immediately.

Real Madrid is negotiating with River Plate over the transfer fee, and the process isn’t expected to be simple. Mastanuono’s release clause, set at €45 million, is much higher than his estimated value (ETV) of €18.4 million, but Real Madrid believes it’s worth paying for one of the most promising young talents in football.

Franco Mastanuono is nicknamed “Little Messi” by the media and fans, thanks to his playing style and impressive performance at a very young age.

At 17, Mastantuono became the youngest player in history to debut for the Argentine national team in an official match, breaking the record previously held by Lionel Messi. He came on during the 1-0 victory against Chile in a 2026 World Cup qualifier on June 5, 2025.

Mastanuono is known for his skillful left foot, his dribbling skills, and the accuracy of his free kicks. He even scored a magnificent free kick during the Superclásico between River Plate and Boca Juniors, leading the Argentine media to compare him to Messi.