Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has decided that €60m teenage signing Franco Mastantuono should leave the club on loan, as the Portuguese manager begins to reshape his squad after returning to work at Valdebebas.
The Argentine midfielder, signed from River Plate last summer, has been informed that he does not have a guaranteed place in next season’s core line-up and is now expected to depart temporarily, according to Spanish radio station Cadena COPE.
Mourinho had insisted on assessing Mastantuono closely in the first week of pre-season before making any decision, but the report says the coach has not been fully convinced and the club will now look for a loan move. A number of offers are anticipated for the 60m-euro youngster.
The decisions come barely a week after Mourinho’s return to full duties, with the coaching staff working initially with players who did not feature at Euro 2024 or the Copa America, giving the Portuguese an early chance to test fringe and youth players.
Early verdicts as Mourinho shapes Madrid squad
Alongside the Mastantuono call, Real Madrid are also preparing to move on defender Raul Asencio, at least on a temporary basis, COPE reports.
The Spanish centre-back is “not in Jose Mourinho’s plans” for the coming campaign, and the club is expected to recruit a new defender, pushing Asencio further down the pecking order and making a departure from the Santiago Bernabeu highly likely.
These are described as preliminary decisions, taken after the opening training sessions of pre-season, but they underline Mourinho’s determination to tailor the squad rapidly around his ideas for the new campaign.
For some young players, however, the new era is bringing opportunity rather than uncertainty.
Gonzalo Garcia wins Mourinho’s approval
Gonzalo Garcia, whose future had also appeared uncertain particularly after the arrival of Brazilian forward Endrick, is now expected to stay.
The young attacker has “impressed the Portuguese coach”, convincing Mourinho that he can play a role in the season ahead despite the increased competition for attacking places.
Garcia’s performances in the first sessions at Valdebebas are understood to have shifted internal expectations, turning him from a possible departure candidate into a player likely to remain within the senior set-up.
Huijsen and Fofana seize their chance
Spanish defender Dean Huijsen is another player who has embraced the opportunity to convince Mourinho during this initial phase of pre-season.
Huijsen, who was left out of Spain’s World Cup squad, views this period as crucial to his future at the Bernabeu. While an exit is currently “not on the table” for the centre-back, he has been eager to prove that he merits a significant role under Mourinho.
As reported recently by Spanish newspaper AS, Huijsen has been “impressing everyone in training” with a series of standout displays that have caught the eye of the Portuguese coach.
In midfield, 16-year-old Spanish prospect Sheriff Fofana has also emerged as one of the surprises of the camp. The teenager has shown “promising potential” and Mourinho is considering keeping him with the first-team group throughout pre-season to continue his assessment.
World Cup returnees must also convince
As pre-season progresses, more senior Real Madrid players who took part in the World Cup will gradually rejoin the squad.
Despite their status and experience, they too will be required to impress Mourinho on the training ground, with the manager keen to ensure that every position is contested and that reputations alone do not guarantee playing time.
Step by step, Mourinho’s early calls on Mastantuono, Asencio, Garcia, Huijsen and Fofana provide an outline of the new hierarchy he is building – and a clear message that, under his watch, every Real Madrid player must prove their value anew.
