Real Madrid Signs Argentine Star Franco Mastantuono

Madrid, Aug 14 (AP) — In a strategic move, Real Madrid secured the signing of Argentine teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono, as the club penned a six-year contract with the young forward this past Thursday.

The former River Plate starlet, who coincidentally celebrated his 18th birthday on the same day, finalized the deal in the presence of Madrid's president, Florentino Pérez.

“I promise I'll give everything I have for this shirt,” expressed an elated Mastantuono, highlighting that playing for Real Madrid has been a lifelong dream.

The Spanish giants had concluded the transfer agreement ahead of time, but league regulations necessitated waiting until the player reached legal age. Reports suggest the transfer fee for this promising talent was set at 45 million euros ($52.5 million).

To mark the occasion, Mastantuono received a scale model of the iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, alongside a personalized watch and a jersey emblazoned with his name and squad number, 30.

Aside from Mastantuono, Real Madrid also bolstered their ranks with the signing of promising Spanish central defender Dean Huijsen and England's dynamic right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold, during the current transfer period.

This marks Real Madrid's inaugural season under the guidance of newly appointed coach Xabi Alonso, who succeeded Carlo Ancelotti following the latter's departure to manage the Brazil national team.

The club seeks to rectify its previous season's shortcomings, which saw them finish without the La Liga title — captured by rivals Barcelona — and missing out on the finals of both the Club World Cup and the Champions League. Additionally, they faced defeat in all four clasicos against their Catalan adversaries.

Real Madrid aims to make a strong start in their La Liga campaign, with their opening match scheduled at home against Osasuna on Tuesday. (AP)

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