Friday was a busy summer transfer window in La Liga, with giants Real Madrid and Barcelona concluding two major deals.
It all started in the Spanish capital, with Real Madrid announcing in an official statement the signing of Argentine Franco Mastrantuono from River Plate.
The 17-year-old signed a long-term, six-year contract, keeping him at the Santiago Bernabéu until the summer of 2027.
According to Spanish media reports, Real Madrid paid €45 million to River Plate for the rising Argentine, who will not join the club until after the 2025 Club World Cup.
In Catalonia, Barcelona responded with the announcement of the signing of goalkeeper Juan Garcia from Espanyol for €25 million.
Until Thursday, reports indicated that Barça was struggling to meet the release clause, and therefore the deal might be postponed until next week.
But Barcelona president Joan Laporta surprised everyone when club officials went to La Liga headquarters and paid Garcia’s release clause, which Espanyol was immediately informed of.
The next step will be for the player to sign a six-year contract, which is expected to happen within the next few hours.
Real Madrid and Barcelona’s summer moves will not stop there; they are expected to expand to include major signings. Barça wants Luis Díaz or a world-class left winger in general, while Real Madrid is looking for a top-class midfielder with several options available.
It’s worth noting that Real Madrid has already made two signings before Mastantuono: Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth for €58 million and Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool on a free transfer.
