5 South American Players Making Major Transfers To Europe This Summer

Forbes

11 hours ago

Franco Mastantuono To Real Madrid
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - APRIL 27: Franco Mastantuono of River Plate celebrates after scoring the ... More team's first goal during the Torneo Apertura Betano 2025 match between River Plate and Boca Juniors at Estadio Mas Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti on April 27, 2025 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by)
Real Madrid has signed Franco Mastantuono from River Plate for $74 million. Mastantuono will join Real Madrid's first team on August 14th when he turns 18. PSG moved in for Mastantuono at the end of last season, but that advance pushed Real Madrid to act quickly, as the club has long admired the Argentinian playmaker.
Mastantuono is a left-footed number 10 from Argentina. Who does that remind you of? He is technically gifted, physically strong and destined for stardom. Although it must be said that Real Madrid are paying an incredible $74 million fee for a teenager who only made his professional debut last year.
Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi embraces teammate forward #20 Franco Mastantuono after winning ... More the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Chile and Argentina at the Nacional Julio Martínez Pradanos stadium in Santiago, on June 5, 2025. (Photo by Javier TORRES / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER TORRES/AFP via Getty Images)
Mastantuono, now capped by Argentina, looks like the real deal. River Plate has relied on him as their most important player this season. He's the player River looked to when it needed something special in attack. He made history with a stunning free-kick against Boca Juniors in the Superclasico and he was also the team penalty taker despite being just 17. It says a lot about his mature character, and he will need a wise head on young shoulders to succeed in the Real Madrid dressing room.
Richard Rios To Benfica
Colombian star Richard Rios has made a $35 million switch from Palmeiras to Benfica. At the Club World Cup this summer Rios showed the world the talent that South American soccer fans have been enjoying for years. Rios is a box-to-box midfield player that loves to run and press just as much as he loves to bomb forward or try and score.
BARRANQUILLA, COLOMBIA - MARCH 25: Richard Rios of Colombia in action during the South American FIFA ... More World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Colombia and Paraguay at Roberto Melendez Metropolitan Stadium on March 25, 2025 in Barranquilla, Colombia. (Photo by Mauricio Duque/Eurasia)
Rios helped Palmeiras earn three clean sheets in five Club World Cup matches and also provided an assist in each knock-out match the team played. European clubs have monitored Rios for some time now and he has finally got his move to a two-time European champion.
Rios is 25 years old and has also shown his worth on the international stage. He has made 23 appearances for Colombia and featured in big wins and a run to the Copa America 2024 final.
Jhon Arias To Wolverhampton Wanderers
Jhon Arias has moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, leaving FIFA 2025 Club World Cup semi finalists Fluminense for an initial fee of $20 million. Arias is another Brazilian-based Colombian who attracted European interest, but a deal never quite materialized, until now.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - MAY 02: John Arias of Fluminense celebrates after scoring the team's fifth ... More goal during the Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2023 group D match between Fluminense and River Plate at Maracana Stadium on May 02, 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by)
Perhaps Arias incredible FIFA 2025 Club World Cup campaign was enough for Wolves to take the risk on this transfer. Arias won the Copa Libertadores with Fluminense in 2023, played alongside Rios in the 2024 Copa America team, and has been one of the best players in the Brazilian league for the last few years. He is a talented and adaptable player that can succeed at the highest level.
Estêvão to Chelsea
This transfer has been years in the making, and it's finally happening this summer. Estêvão is leaving Palmeiras and joining Chelsea in London now that he has turned 18. The transfer cost Chelsea $40 million up front but add-ons could take the total transfer fee to $67 million in the future.
TOPSHOT - Palmeiras' Brazilian forward #41 Estevao Willian celebrates scoring his team's first goal ... More during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 quarterfinal football match between Brazil's Palmeiras and England's Chelsea at the Lincoln Financial Field Stadium in Philadelphia on July 4, 2025. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
Many in Brazil regard Estêvão as the country's brightest young star. Estêvão even broke some of Neymar's domestic records. He is creative, a fantastic dribbler of the ball and displayed great maturity and fighting spirit at the Club World Cup this summer. In fact he scored against his new team Chelsea in his last ever game for Palmeiras and showed a level of grit and physicality that will serve him well in England.
Wesley to Roma
Italian Serie A side Roma have signed Flamengo's starting right-back Wesley for $29 million. Wesley arrived in Rome this weekend to complete his medical and sign the new contract. He follows in the footsteps of the great Brazilian World Cup winning captain Cafu, who made the move from Brazil to AS Roma back in 1997. If he can even slightly replicate Cafu's career then he will be doing alright.
BRASILIA, BRAZIL - MARCH 20: Wesley França of Brazil controls the ball during the South American ... More FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Brazil and Colombia at Mane Garrincha Stadium on March 20, 2025 in Brasilia, Brazil. (Photo by)
Roma are making a significant investment on the young Brazilian who has never played in Europe and has only just made his international debut. Wesley's fee could rise to $35 million with add-ons and Roma are counting on Wesley to fill the right-back role at just 21 years of age.
Wesley can attack, defend and connect passes well. Though he isn't the tallest, he is fesity and very quick off the mark. He scored a late winner in his last ever Flamengo game this week and has the quality and years ahead of him to go on to achieve amazing things for both Roma and the Brazilian national team.