Manchester United and Chelsea eye River Plate starlet Franco Mastantuono | OneFootball

Manchester United and Chelsea are keen on signing River Plate midfielder Franco Mastantuono (h/t Sky Sports).

The 17-year-old has impressed several top European clubs. He became the youngest scorer in River Plate’s history when he netted against Excursionistas last season.

Mastantuono has continued to shine this term, bagging three goals and two assists in just 11 appearances. He has been compared to Manchester City’s Phil Foden.

His strong performances have earned him a call-up to Argentina’s U20 squad. Many people expect him to push for a senior call-up ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The Argentine is set to be a key figure in this weekend’s Superclasico when River Plate face Boca Juniors.

The match is expected to draw a record crowd after the renovation of the Monumental Stadium increased its capacity to 85,018.

Premier League clubs compete for Mastantuono

Mastantuono is under contract with River Plate until 2026, and his release clause is €45 million.

Given his talent and potential, it is no surprise that several top clubs are monitoring him. Spanish giants Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are among the other interested.

Atletico have sent scouts to watch Mastantuono in action.

River Plate’s president, Jorge Brito, is in no rush to sell the midfielder, especially after the club made a £46 million profit last season.

If Mastantuono moves to Europe, he will follow in the footsteps of several other talented players who have left River Plate in recent years.

They include Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Lucas Alario, who all successfully switched to European football.