Franco Mastantuono, a 17-year-old attacking midfielder under contract to River Plate until December 2026, is a new talent on the Argentine soccer scene. He has recently been announced as one of Paris Saint-Germain’s front-runners for the mercato. Fabrizio Romano claims that the Argentine will join Real Madrid on a 6-year deal. The deal would be worth €45m. An end to the rumor leading him to PSG.
Franco Mastantuono’s choice of Real Madrid over Paris Saint-Germain illustrates a reality that the Parisian club must accept: you can’t force the destiny of a player who dreams of going elsewhere.
Despite PSG’s keen interest and the club’s ability to seduce him financially and athletically, the young Argentine has never shown a clear desire to join Paris, his objective having always been to don the white jersey of Madrid.
This situation, far from being an abject failure, should serve as a strategic lesson: it is crucial for PSG to concentrate its efforts on profiles that are genuinely invested in the Parisian project, players who see the Parc des Princes as a destination of the heart and not simply as a springboard. Rather than exhausting itself on projects where the player’s primary motivation is lacking, Paris would do better to build an ambitious collective around talents willing to make a long-term commitment.
PSG must continue its policy of offering a project rather than a career with a prestigious club. Only those who really want it will come.
