Franco Mastantuono joins Fiorentina on loan from Real Madrid

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder will spend the season in Italy after struggling to secure a regular starting place at Real Madrid last season.

Mastantuono joined Real Madrid from River Plate in a deal worth just over 63 million euros after making history as the youngest player to represent Argentina in an official senior international match.

He made 35 appearances for Real Madrid last season, scoring three goals, but was not selected for Argentina's 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.

Now, Mastantuono is looking forward to getting started in Florence and believes Fiorentina was the right club for the next stage of his development.

"It's a very special day for me. I really wanted to come here and I like it a lot," Mastantuono said in his first interview after completing the move.

The teenager was also attracted by Fiorentina's history and the club's reputation among Argentine players.

"It's a club with a great history. I was excited about playing for such an important club," he said.

Mastantuono has already met some of his new team-mates and spoken with the coach, who gave him a warm welcome.

"I spoke to the boss and he's given me a great welcome. I hope to be able to train soon so that I can play," he said.

The midfielder also identified an area of his game he wants to improve during his time in Italy.

"I'm an attacking player who likes to get into the box. I'd like to improve the defensive side of my game," Mastantuono said.

"I know we do a lot of work on that in Italy and I think it's a good thing. It's an area I'd like to improve in."

Mastantuono revealed that former Fiorentina players from Argentina also encouraged him to make the move after speaking positively about the club.

"They told me lots of good things about this club. That's another reason why I wanted to join Fiorentina," he said.

The youngster is now eager to begin his new adventure and has promised Fiorentina supporters that he will give everything to help the team.

"Absolutely ready," Mastantuono said when asked if he was prepared to start.

He added: "Thanks for the love you showed me when I arrived. You should know that you've welcomed a player who will fight to help achieve our goals."