The world champions spoke about the virtues of Real Madrid's brand-new signing during his first draft with the national team
The same show also featured Paulo Dybala, who is recovering from an injury and wasn't drafted for this double fixture. The player from Córdoba didn't hold back on praise: "To play like that, at that age, you have to be at a higher level than the rest," he emphasized.
Meanwhile, as the praise continues to grow, Mastantuono is in Seattle, where he is preparing with River for his debut in the Club World Cup against Urawa Red Diamonds, this Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. (Argentina time). After the international tournament, he will remain at the club until August 14, the date when he will come of age and can formally join Real Madrid, which paid 45 million dollars for his transfer.
Meanwhile, Paredes is enjoying a few days of rest in Miami before rejoining Roma, where he will meet with the new coach Gian Piero Gasperini. There, he will decide his future, which could include a return to Boca, a club that has already made him a formal offer.
Leandro Paredes, a key player for the Argentina National Team in the recent match against Colombia, took a moment to highlight Franco Mastantuono, the young prospect from River who received his first draft to the senior squad led by Lionel Scaloni.
"I loved him in every way. As a player, he shows it, but at 17 years old, he comes across as a mature kid," Paredes said on the show La Casa del Kun, hosted by Sergio Agüero on ESPN. He added enthusiastically: "He has unbelievable quality and personality. I liked him a lot."
Although they haven't shared minutes on the field yet, they have trained together. The young midfielder made his official debut against Chile, coming on in the final minutes, while Paredes didn't play that match due to suspension. In the following match against Colombia, it was the former PSG player who played the full 90 minutes, but Mastantuono didn't get any minutes.
