According to The Athletic journalist Mario Cortegana, Endrick has entered his third season since joining Real Madrid, but the future of the 20-year-old Brazilian forward remains uncertain. José Mourinho personally pushed for him to stay this summer, promising him playing time. However, Real Madrid will reassess his situation before the January transfer window, and another loan move remains a possible option.

Endrick officially joined Real Madrid in July 2024 when he was just 18 years old. Real Madrid reached an agreement with Palmeiras in 2022 to sign him for a fixed transfer fee of €35 million plus €25 million in add-ons. The total value of the deal now approaches €50 million. Previously, Barcelona, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain had also shown interest in the Brazilian forward.

However, Endrick's development since joining Real Madrid has been rocky. In his first season, he made 37 appearances across all competitions, totaling 847 minutes, contributing 7 goals and 1 assist, directly participating in a goal every 105.8 minutes on average.

The then-manager Ancelotti did not fully trust the young Endrick. The Italian coach believed young players needed time on the bench after arriving at Real Madrid, similar to how he had treated Arda Güler previously.

Real Madrid's management then consoled Endrick, pointing out that his 37 appearances in his first season were more than Vinicius's 31 and Rodrygo's 26 in their respective first seasons. However, in terms of actual playing time, Vinicius and Rodrygo played 1,742 minutes and 1,428 minutes respectively that year, far more than Endrick.

Endrick's second season was even more difficult. Heading into the end of the 2024-25 season, he suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the subsequent Club World Cup. After Xabi Alonso took over Real Madrid, he chose to use Gonzalo García when Mbappé was injured. The latter scored 4 goals and provided 1 assist in 6 matches and remained in the starting lineup due to his exceptional performance.

Although Endrick joined the team in the United States during the final stage of the Club World Cup, he suffered another hamstring injury and did not return to play until mid-September.

That summer, Alonso suggested Endrick leave to get consistent playing time. Although some people around him advised him to accept this plan, Endrick decided to stay and compete for a place at Real Madrid. After recovering from his injury, he sat on the bench for 8 consecutive matches without playing time, and finally decided in November to join Lyon on loan during the winter transfer window.

During his half season at Lyon, Endrick contributed 8 goals and 8 assists in 21 matches, and his performance during this period earned him a place in Brazil's squad for the 2026 World Cup under Ancelotti.

However, Brazil was ultimately eliminated by Norway in the Round of 16 of the World Cup, and Endrick played only 111 minutes across 4 appearances throughout the tournament, making no significant impact.

Before the World Cup began in April this year, Real Madrid had informed Endrick that he would still be part of the team's plans for the new season, as Gonzalo García was expected to leave. The situation changed temporarily after Mourinho took over, as he wanted to evaluate Gonzalo during preseason and was very impressed with the forward's quality. However, due to inability to guarantee stable playing time, the 22-year-old Gonzalo eventually joined Fulham for €40 million in early August.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid signed 21-year-old Carlos Espi from Levante for an estimated €25 million. Mourinho wanted a center forward similar to Joselu, a player who could come off the bench and immediately contribute goals, and Gonzalo's departure created the conditions for signing Espi.

With Espi's arrival, Spanish media generally believed Endrick needed to leave Real Madrid again. However, The Athletic had previously reported that Endrick himself wanted to stay, and Mourinho was very pleased with his commitment in training.

When several clubs in Spain and other European leagues began inquiring about Endrick, Real Madrid, Mourinho, and the player ultimately decided together to keep him. Aston Villa and Roma were among the clubs most interested in him this summer.

Mourinho publicly confirmed on August 25 that he was the main reason Endrick didn't leave.

He said: "He is a player I really like, and many clubs have asked about the possibility of loaning or buying him. I don't want to sell him because I like him and I enjoy working with this very talented young player."

Mourinho also personally communicated with Endrick, explaining his plans for using him. Besides being Mbappé's backup center forward, he also plans to try Endrick as a right winger. An important reason is that Mourinho doesn't believe Federico Valverde or Bernardo Silva are suitable options for the right wing position.

Sources close to Real Madrid's daily training revealed: "He is very confident now because Mourinho told him that he will be an important player and will get playing time."

However, it is still not easy for Endrick to truly break into Real Madrid's regular rotation.

At center forward, Mbappé is unlikely to miss many matches, and Endrick also needs to compete with Espi for the first backup role. Espi not only became Real Madrid's leading goalscorer in preseason but also scored the winning goal late in the first La Liga match against Espanyol.

The right wing position is also highly competitive and not the most familiar position for Endrick. Currently, Mourinho has deployed Güler on the right wing to address squad configuration issues when Mbappé, Vinicius, and Jude Bellingham all occupy important starting positions.

Additionally, Real Madrid also signed 19-year-old Ivorian winger Yann Diomande this summer. The deal involved a fixed transfer fee of €125 million plus €15 million in add-ons, for a total of up to €140 million, potentially making him Real Madrid's most expensive signing in history.

Brahim Díaz is also a strong contender for the right wing position, after starting against Málaga on August 30. Meanwhile, Rodrygo is expected to recover from his knee injury by January at the latest.

Therefore, despite Mourinho promising to give Endrick opportunities, some people close to the player still doubt whether he will truly get consistent playing time. This is why all parties plan to reassess the situation before the winter transfer window opens.

Endrick has recovered from a thigh muscle injury this season. He was included in the squad for the first time this season when Real Madrid defeated Inter Milan 2-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday, but he did not get playing time, as Mourinho chose Brahim on the right wing.

Sources at Real Madrid's training ground indicate that the club is currently being very cautious with Endrick's recovery, hoping to minimize the risk of reinjury.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti announced Brazil's latest national team squad on Wednesday, and Endrick was included again. Brazil will play two friendly matches against Australia on September 25 and 29, followed by a match against India on October 3.

Real Madrid's next match is at home against Rayo Vallecano this Saturday. Given Endrick's recent recovery from injury, he may not be able to handle significant playing time. However, as his physical condition gradually improves, his true place in Mourinho's system will soon become clearer.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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