River has already begun planning for the next transfer market and, in addition to the high-profile names it seeks to incorporate, it also aims to recover two gems that emerged from its youth divisions who recently emigrated to Europe. The players targeted by the management would be Franco Mastantuono and Claudio Echeverri, who moved to the Old Continent with high expectations but have still not managed to establish themselves in their respective teams.
The club's intention is to explore the possibility of obtaining them on loanduring the next season. To this end, from Núñez they plan to contact Real Madrid and Manchester City, the respective owners of their rights, to find out what plans they have for both players for the upcoming semester.
The case of Mastantuono is one that generates a lot of attention. After his millionaire arrival at the White House, the attacking midfielder had a disappointing first season. Following a promising start, he lost prominence amid coaching changes and a complicated sporting context for the Madrid team.
Although he continues to be considered a project of enormous potential, the lack of continuity and his absence from Lionel Scaloni's list for the 2026 World Cup fueled speculation about a possible exit to gain minutes. However, his return to Argentine football appears to be a complex operation and will largely depend on the assessment made by the new coaching staff of the Merengue.
Mastantuono has yet to convince at Real Madrid.
On the other hand, Echeverri's situation presents some similarities. After a stint at Girona, where he alternated between starting and being a substitute during the season, the attacking midfielder will have to return to Manchester City to define his future. In this regard, the relegation of the Spanish team and the departure of Pep Guardiola from the citizens changed the scenario and opened a period of uncertainty for the player.
River is closely monitoring his situation and values both the good institutional relationship with the English club and the willingness that the player has shown on other occasions to wear the Millonario jersey again if the sporting conditions are favorable.
Echeverri's loan at Girona has ended, and his future at City is a mystery.
As negotiations for other experienced reinforcements progress, the possibility of repatriating two of the most outstanding players that emerged from their youth academy recently appears as one of the club's major aspirations in the market. Although the negotiations will not be easy, in Núñez they believe that it is worth trying to strengthen a squad that seeks to regain prominence both locally and internationally.
The numbers of Mastantuono and Echeverri in the last season
In his first season with Real Madrid, the native of Azul played 1,484 minutes, spread over 35 matches, in which he scored 3 goals, provided one assist, and received 5 yellow cards and one direct red card. Meanwhile, Diablito played 888 minutes between Bayer Leverkusen and Girona in 28 matches, where he scored one goal, offered 2 assists, and was booked 5 times.
