Franco Mastantuono leaves Real Madrid: Move away from Bernabeu makes complete sense for 18-year-old

Real Madrid attacker Franco Mastantuono will spend the 2026-27 campaign on loan at Italian club Fiorentina.

The Argentina international made the move to Bernabeu from River Plate during last summer's transfer window, and he represented Los Blancos on 35 occasions in 2025-26.

The 18-year-old found it difficult to make his mark for Real Madrid, though, only managing to find the back of the net on three occasions.

Mastantuono had allegedly impressed Los Blancos head coach Jose Mourinho with the level of his performances during the early stages of pre-season.

Benvenuto a Firenze, Franco?️?⚜️ pic.twitter.com/VRA65EnXHR
— ACF Fiorentina (@acffiorentina) August 7, 2026

Real Madrid's Mastantuono joins Fiorentina on loan

However, the decision has been made for the Argentine to make a loan switch to Fiorentina.

“It's a very special day for me. I really wanted to come here and I like it a lot. It's a club with a great history. I was excited about playing for such an important club," the teenager told Fiorentina's official website after completing a move.

"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. I'm an attacking player who likes to get into the box.

"I'd like to improve the defensive side of my game. 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 found it difficult at Real Madrid last season

Mastantuono played 1,037 minutes in La Liga during the 2025-26 campaign but only managed to score once and failed to provide a single assist.

The attacker's difficulties led to him being overlooked for a spot in the Argentina squad for the 2026 World Cup, but he will be hoping to secure a return to the national team with a strong season in Italian football.

Mastantuono needs a season away from the pressure environment at Bernabeu, especially as minutes could be hard to find in 2026-27 due to the signing of Yan Diomande, and the presence of Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, Brahim Diaz and Arda Guler.

Rodrygo is also making steady progress in his recovery from a serious knee injury, and it is hoped that the Brazilian could be back on the field in the early stages of 2027.

Fiorentina finished 15th in Italy's top flight in 2025-26.