Milan Transfer Market: There’s a Major Hurdle for Soulé—A High-Profile Alternative Emerges

Milan is ready to change course: the trail leading to Roma’s Matias Soulé remains open, but in recent hours the name of another Argentine has emerged strongly—one whom many consider a talent destined to make his mark once he reaches full maturity: we’re talking about Franco Mastantuono, born in 2007 and owned by Real Madrid, who, according to ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport,’ is set to leave Spain on loan after a season in which he often came off the bench for the Blancos without making much of an impact.

Soulé remains the top priority: he’s a desirable prospect, knows Serie A, and perfectly fits Ruben Amorim’s needs, as the coach is looking for a left-footed attacking midfielder capable of operating on the wing and in tight spaces, moving naturally between the lines. There is, however, a significant hurdle: Roma values him at around 40 million, a figure that a month ago had attracted two Saudi clubs, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad. The Argentine, however, had turned down the Saudi Pro League, choosing to remain in Europe.

With Dybala’s contract extension and the signing of Castro, opportunities for Soulé at Roma have dwindled. The player wants a new home, and Milan would be a welcome destination, but the club on Via Aldo Rossi has no intention of meeting the Giallorossi’s asking price—especially after having already invested over 100 million in Gonçalo Ramos, Mario Gila, and Sankhoun Diawara.

Then there’s another factor: Rafael Leao. The Portuguese player is still a Milan player; he traveled with the Rossoneri to Perth but remains at the center of transfer rumors. Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe are courting him, a Turkish derby that could heat up at any moment. Furthermore, his name has also been floated to clubs in the Premier League and La Liga. So far, however, no one has come close to the 60 million demanded by Cardinale, and as long as Leao remains, Soulé cannot join.

And this is where Franco Mastantuono enters the picture. He turns 19 on August 14 and has been considered a prodigy since his days in River Plate’s youth system—the club where he developed before moving to Spain. He convinced José Mourinho to include him in Real Madrid’s plans, but only on a long-term basis. The “Special One” himself suggested a loan deal, following the model used in the past—for example, with Brahim Díaz on the Milan-Real Madrid axis.

There is, however, a snag: the Rossoneri would like to avoid a straight loan, a solution that hasn’t yielded results recently, as the Füllkrug case demonstrates. For Mastantuono, the Rossoneri are exploring a different arrangement, drawing inspiration from what was done with Brahim Diaz: a loan with an option to buy and the possibility of a buyback for Real.