Marca: Milan relaunch Mastantuono pursuit with Real Madrid feeling ‘betrayed’ | OneFootball

AC Milan seem to have rekindled their interest in signing Franco Mastantuono from River Plate, and one of their rivals have gone cold on him.

According to Marca, Mastantuono is one of those players who for weeks and weeks was linked with Real Madrid and many other top European teams. His sudden emergence in the first team of River Plate at just 16 years old caught the attention of the European giants.

As soon as a player who stands out appears – especially in South America – Real Madrid tend to go for him. The Argentine was no exception, but the problem that all interested teams encountered was the abrupt change in the situation.

It went from the opportunity to sign a talented player in a low-cost deal to a contract extension which has seen his price rise a lot. With the renewal of the River Plate playmaker’s contract came a salary increase and a clause of €45m.

Last March, and while in full talks with different teams, the agents closed the renewal agreement with the Argentine side, with an extension that can last until 2027. Barcelona and Milan were fighting for his signing then too, or at least trying to lay the foundations for the operation.

They all disappeared and began to look at other options, but Marca add that Milan ‘seem to have come closer again’, but will not pay anything close to the €45m release clause. Real Madrid felt ‘betrayed’ by the renewal and have dropped out, so a door may have opened.