River Plate’s Franco Says “Not Yet”…
In a saga that smells fishier than a footballer’s sock drawer after 90 minutes, Manchester United have been sent packing faster than a missed penalty kick in a Cup final. River Plate’s head sorcerer, Marcelo Gallardo, has pulled a rabbit out of his hat, hollering to the heavens that Franco Mastantuono, the wonderkid he’s lovingly dubbed “Footloose Franco,” isn’t leaving the Argentinian nest “anytime soon.” It’s no surprise everybody wants a piece of Franco, who at the ripe old age of 17 is kicking goals like he’s in a video game on cheat mode.
The audacious winger, who moonlights as an attacking midfielder, has glided onto the scene quicker than a referee spotting a controversial handball. Recently he curled a free-kick more menacingly than an angry octopus to seal a win for River Plate against their lifelong frenemies, Boca Juniors. As the rumor mill spins more wildly than a whirling dervish chasing a football, Gallardo insisted his protĂ©gĂ©’s “feet are glued to the turf,” much like a stubborn defender stuck to a slippery striker, dashing the dreams of United scouts eagerly camping outside his door.
Yet whispers persist! Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United will have to get hold of their crystal balls and plan their next moves, as River Plate tightens their grip on their young diamond. Gallardo, stirring his cauldron of magic quite confidently, proclaimed, “Franco’s future isn’t a pop-up tent at a football festival—it’s more like a castle with a moat!” Tune in for the next episode of “The Franco Factor,” folks; this footballer isn’t off the script anytime soon!
