Real Madrid loanee earns Argentina call-up after impressive Serie A performance

Real Madrid loanee earns Argentina call-up after impressive Serie A performance Real Madrid loaned out Franco Mastantuono to Fiorentina back in the summer in the hope that he would get regular game time and adapt to European football. The 19-year-old South American starlet had a difficult first season in the Spanish capital despite starting brightly. Mastantuono took some time to get going at Fiorentina, but his performances have steadily improved of late. Fresh off the back of a goalscoring display against Sassuolo, Mastantuono has now earned recognition at international level. Lionel Scaloni has included the 19-year-old in Argentina’s squad for the November international break. The World Cup runners-up have friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica scheduled for November 13 and 17. Mastantuono’s involvement in Scaloni’s team follows his return to the international set-up back in September. Mastantuono rewarded for impressive Fiorentina form Against Sassuolo last night , Mastantuono scored once and contributed significantly in possession, completing three dribbles, winning six duels and registering six ball recoveries. His latest goal also took his Serie A tally to four in his first 10 appearances, an impressive return for a teenager adjusting to Italian football. He became the second-youngest player to score four Serie A goals in his first 10 appearances. The youngster has shown much more confidence in recent games, and his overall influence on attacking play has increased. These are the kind of developments Real Madrid would have hoped for when they sent him out on loan, and things seem to be working out so far. Argentina recognition strengthens Madrid’s long-term hopes Mastantuono was unlikely to get many first-team minutes had he chosen to stay at Real Madrid this season. Jose Mourinho has enough attacking options at his disposal, and at 19, what the Argentine attacker needed was regular game time. Mastantuono is developing well on his loan spell. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images) His performances have now given Scaloni another reason to keep him involved as the national team prepares for life after Lionel Messi. Competition for places in the national team is immense, especially with someone like Nico Paz ahead of him, and Mastantuono needs to prove that he deserves minutes under Scaloni. There is still no clarity on what the future holds for Mastantuono in the Spanish capital and whether Mourinho sees him as part of his team in the upcoming seasons. If not, a good loan spell could help drum up interest in the teenager from other European clubs and earn Real Madrid a good transfer fee. It remains to be seen whether Mastantuono gets a chance with Argentina and how he fares over the course of the season.