The Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez celebrated the youthful Franco Mastantuono as a “incredible player” and made him exceed in European football.
The employers of Fernandez, Chelsea and Manchester United are also considered an enthusiastic admirer of the attacking midfielder. Both Premier League clubs were associated with a move for the record of 17-year-olds, who has a publication clause worth € 45 million (£ 38.4 million).
Similar to Mastantuono, Fernandez came through the River’s Academy. Although Chelsea’s playmaker never played with the Argentina international Argentina, he only had praise for his compatriot.
“He shows that he has a European future. You can see it,” said Fernandez to ESPN. “He is an incredible player. He is doing very well and has shown great talent. In my opinion, he is a star. I wish him the best and hope that he can achieve all of his goals. Hopefully he can also help us in the national team.”
Mastantuono turns 18 in August, so that potential applicants from Europe can legally sign it this summer. Despite all the praise that was distributed to the teenager, his experience with senior football is desperately minimal. Mastantuono offers less than 1,000 minutes of top football and scored a single goal in his first 90-minute game.
River head coach Marcelo Gallardo was measured more at his assessment of the team’s latest starlet. “Mastantuono continues to show lightning as a special player,” the manager admitted. “We have to understand the growth process; the young players have to develop with the team. We will support them again and again without carrying themselves away or raising too much pressure on them.”
Not everyone has the memo. Rivers legendary former attacking midfielder Andres D’Alessandro has praised Mastantuono. “I am a big fan of him because he is left foot. He reminds me of the players we have had in the past in the past, the natural playmakers – the number 10 that the club has always produced and continues to produce today,” he raved.