Real Madrid loan watch: Franco Mastantuono makes Serie A history with match-winning performance against Sassuolo
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Real Madrid have recently done an excellent job of signing young players and either sending them out on loan or selling them with future options.
Los Blancos signed Franco Mastantuono from River Plate at the beginning of last season and gave him a chance in the first team.
After a solid start under Xabi Alonso, the Argentinian youngster struggled to maintain his momentum and was loaned out to Fiorentina at the beginning of the campaign.
Mastantuono has made a very good start to life in Serie A, and his latest display against Sassuolo has earned him a place in history.
The 19-year-old has become the joint-second-youngest player to score at least four goals in his first 10 Serie A appearances.
At 19 years and 80 days, he shares the record with Mohammed Kallon, with only Alexandre Pato ahead of the duo.
Mastantuono delivers another outstanding performance
The Los Blancos loanee scored Fiorentina’s third goal in the victory over Sassuolo, helping his team secure an important 4-2 win.
His individual numbers in the game were equally impressive. He registered one key pass, completed three dribbles and won six duels.
Mastantuono also registered 26 ball carries. The Argentine showed quality out of possession as well, making six ball recoveries, winning two tackles and making three interceptions.
The Real Madrid loanee’s four league goals have come across just two matches, with a hat-trick against Venezia coming before last night.
His goals have directly helped Fiorentina win both games, but this raises some questions about his consistency.
Real Madrid’s loan decision bearing fruit
The main reason Real Madrid agreed to let Mastantuono leave on loan back in the summer was for him to get regular game time.
Mastantuono scored a goal vs Sassuolo. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images)
Getting regular minutes under Jose Mourinho would have been close to impossible, and the player made the right decision to join Fiorentina.
His loan agreement runs until 2027, and while his goalscoring record is positive, Madrid will want him to start finding the back of the net more frequently.
Mastantuono is also able to contribute without scoring, carrying the ball through crowds and finding passes for his teammates.
Ten league appearances are just the start for the Real Madrid loanee, and a strong loan spell could go a long way towards shaping his career at the Santiago Bernabeu.
It remains to be seen how Mastantuono develops in the coming months and whether he does enough to convince Mourinho that he deserves a first-team berth next season.