Manchester United in three-horse race for £33m South American ace after Real Madrid ‘dump’ him

Manchester United are now in a two-house race for one South American talent after Real Madrid reportedly dump their attempts to sign him this summer.

Manchester United are set to reinforce their midfield this summer as Rúben Amorim looks to address ongoing issues in the centre of the pitch.

United have struggled for creativity throughout the season, often failing to break down opposition defences and rarely scoring more than once per game. Their inconsistent form at Old Trafford has only heightened concerns over their lack of control in midfield.

In January, the club allowed several attacking players to leave on loan, with Antony joining Real Betis, Marcus Rashford moving to Aston Villa, and Ethan Wheatley heading to Walsall for the remainder of the campaign.

Further departures in midfield are expected at the end of the season, with Christian Eriksen set to leave when his contract expires and Casemiro no longer part of Amorim’s long-term plans.

As a result, United are preparing for a pivotal summer transfer window, targeting midfielders who can provide greater creativity, energy, and tactical flexibility to suit Amorim’s vision.

United in three-horse race for Mastantuono

According to a new report from InterLive, United are currently in a two-horse race to sign River Place ace Franco Mastantuono, who has established himself as a certified talent within their midfield.

The 17-year-old has already played 41 professional fixtures in his career so far for the Argentinian side and is seen as one of the best young talents in South America, with United keen to bring in more talents from the continent over the coming seasons.

The report claims that United are in a battle with Manchester City as they contemplate a summer move, although neither club would be able to sign him until he turns 18 on August 14 due to regulations put in place following the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union that prohibits Premier League clubs from acquiring foreign players under the age of 18.

However, Inter Milan have also been credited with interest, and after Real Madrid “dumped” their operation to sign him after he signed a new contract with River Plate, all three clubs are seeking a potential transfer.

According to Spanish outlet AS, Mastantuono has a release clause of around £34 million in his current contract.

Mastantuono fits the mould of United’s transfer vision

United are drastically changing their transfer policy after years of poor spending have left the club in serious financial trouble.

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While there is little chance that the club will be hit with profit and sustainability sanctions, the club are said to have as little as £20-30 million in the bank for summer transfers prior to sales.

Therefore, United are looking at bringing in young talents for lower transfer fees with the idea of building them for the future, with the likes of Diego Leon, Chido Obi, and Ayden Heaven all set for time in the Academy before consistent first-team action, while those such as Patrick Dorgu are examples of first-team players who are aimed at improving the squad in the future.

Should United sign Mastantuono in August, he would likely follow a similar path to Sekou Kone, who has been embedding himself in the Academy times and is slowly becoming more involved in the first-team squad across the opening years of his contract.

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