Cartels appeared in Buenos Aires targeting agent Martín Guastadisegno over youth player Luca Scarlato's departure from River Plate to Italian club Parma, using parental rights. The case highlighted tensions between family rights and those of forming clubs, sparking debate in Argentine football. River reported the matter to FIFA and secured an agreement with Parma.
The scandal over Luca Scarlato's departure from River Plate has reignited with cartels appearing in Buenos Aires against his agent, Martín Guastadisegno. The cartels read: “Martín Guastadisegno ladrón y vaciador de clubes”, capturing discontent in the football community over the use of parental rights to transfer the youth to Parma in January 2026.
Born in 2009, Scarlato was a key prospect in River's seventh division and a regular in Argentine youth national team call-ups. At the end of 2025, the club sought to sign his first professional contract, but the player, supported by his family and Guastadisegno, chose not to sign. Parental rights enabled the parents to change his residence and sports activity, bypassing immediate compensation for River and nullifying prior training agreements.
River voiced deep institutional dismay, viewing it as a breach of years of development work. The leadership reported the case to FIFA and did not rule out legal action against Parma. In response, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) decided that youths leaving the country via parental rights without compensating their club will not be eligible for youth national teams, aiming to discourage such moves.
Ultimately, to avoid prolonged litigation, Parma agreed to pay River a percentage of any future sale of Scarlato, acknowledging the Argentine club's formative contribution. The episode highlights the need to update regulations to balance the rights of minors, families, and institutions amid early economic interests.
