Real Madrid see 16-year-old star as the ideal heir to Luka Modric - Reports

Spanish giants Real Madrid see River Plate midfielder Franco Mastantuono as the ideal heir to legendary midfielder Luka Modric, who is departing the club at the end of the season, as per Argentine daily El Nacional.

The iconic Croatian midfielder moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid for €22.5 million in 2012. At the Santiago Bernabeu, he became one of the best midfielders in the world, winning the Ballon d'Or in 2018 after leading Croatia to a runners-up finish in that year's FIFA World Cup.

He has made 521 appearances for Madrid, with 39 goals and 84 assists to his name. His legacy at the club will be hard to replicate, but Real believe that they have identified his replacement already.

The 16-year-old Mastantuono has been incredibly impressive for Argentina U-17 as well as for River Plate, having already made 10 senior appearances this season.

Apart from the centre of the park, he can also be deployed as a right winger, offering great versatility. His performances have been keenly watched by scouts from top European clubs, including Real's rivals Barcelona, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, Benfica and Paris Saint-Germain.

Mastantuono recently signed a new contract at River Plate, keeping him at the club till the end of the 2026 season which could make things tricky for his potential suitors.

However, with the unbelievable talent and quality that the Argentine youngster has in his locker, he would be an incredible future-proof investment for any club that acquires his services.

Real Madrid believe that 19-year-old Argentine midfielder could break into the first team in the near future

Although Real Madrid are scouring the transfer market to find incredible young talent like Franco Mastantuono, they are also developing dazzling talents through their academy.

One such player is midfielder Nico Paz, who has already featured eight times for the first team this season and even scored in the UEFA Champions League against Napoli.

A recent report from Spanish outlet MARCA claims that the club's administration holds him in high regard, and believes that he will lock down his place in the first-team squad next season.

Luka Modric announced his departure from Real Madrid at the end of the season, and Dani Ceballos is linked with a move away from the club in the upcoming transfer window. Eventually, Toni Kroos is also expected to leave the club, either at the end of the season or in 2025.

This could make way for Paz to become a valuable backup to Real's established midfield trio of Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde. With his incredible potential and with time on his side, he could even break into Los Blancos' starting XI in the future.