He was once the baby-faced assassin, now he’s the sullen-faced substitute.
Brazilian forward Endrick broke goalscoring records as a youngster at Palmeiras and attracted the attention of Real Madrid aged just 14. Now he needs a loan move, and a switch to England is being treated as a serious option.
Real Madrid officials have met with the 19-year-old’s representatives and agreed that the club will send him out on loan this January.
A host of clubs in England are already sniffing around a potential deal. West Ham are understood to have enquired, while Manchester United are among the clubs set to be in the market for a striker in January, with Joshua Zirkzee due to head for the exit door.
Endrick’s likely next step isn’t the usual roadmap for a young Brazilian forward at Madrid. Neither Vinicius Junior nor Rodrygo were loaned out in their first seasons after arriving from Flamengo and Santos respectively.
A move outside of the club’s bubble and the ultra-protective environment of their Valdebebas training ground are generally not seen as a good idea for young players who have swapped continents to move to Spain.
Endrick has been stuck on Real Madrid’s bench for most of this season and is available to sign on loan in January
The Brazilian scored a goal every 120 minutes last season but has failed to convince Madrid’s new manager Xabi Alonso
Endrick’s struggles are a far cry from the optimism that surrounded his arrival – seen here with Madrid president Florentino Perez in 2024
But Endrick’s case is different. He hasn’t played since May and both parties see the wisdom of a temporary switch.
That five-month absence has, in part, been down to a hamstring injury that ruled him out of last summer’s Club World Cup. And it was at that tournament that things got worse for the Brazilian.
Real Madrid youth-team player Gonzalo Garcia was picked for six games – the 21-year-old scored four goals and managed one assist, persuading new coach Xabi Alonso that he, and not Endrick, should provide the back-up for Kylian Mbappe.
Last season, the then-Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti used Endrick in 37 matches and he repaid the faith with seven goals.
His scoring rate of a goal every 120 minutes seemed like an indication of what would follow this season, but Endrick has failed to convince Alonso.
It’s all a far cry from his early days at the club. When he made the move to Madrid as an 18-year-old, Endrick spent a week living with Vinicius in his house in the city’s exclusive La Moraleja neighbourhood.
A move outside the ultra-protective environment of Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground isn’t usually seen as a good idea for young overseas players
But in Endrick’s case Madrid are prepared to make an exception – he hasn’t played since May
Endrick has fallen behind Gonzalo Garcia in the pecking order after the 21-year-old’s heroics in the Club World Cup
The plan was for him to witness first-hand how Vinicius eats only the food his personal chef prepares and recovers from training in a hyperbaric chamber set up in his home.
The club and Endrick’s representatives hoped the professional dedication of the senior pro would rub-off on the prodigy but standards are slipping under the weight of frustration.
He was on the bench again against Juventus in midweek and watched forlornly as Garcia came on as the fifth and final substitute.
Even worse occurred a few days before against Getafe in La Liga. Endrick had warmed-up at length only to then not be used, and he reacted petulantly on the touchline, kicking a water bottle as he made his way back to the dugout.
In the long-term, Madrid are still confident Endrick will be as successful as the club’s global scouting supremo Juni Calafat’s other Brazilian signings.
Calafat persuaded Real Madrid to spend €35million plus a potential €25m in add-ons on Endrick, but he also knows that the teenager has to play regularly.
His physical build, ability to protect the ball and capacity for first-time finishes have all drawn comparisons with compatriot Romario but now-Brazil manager Ancelotti has said he won’t pick Endrick for La Canarinha if he isn’t playing regular club football, so those lofty heights still seem a way off.
Endrick has happy memories of England. His first goal for Brazil came when he climbed off the bench at Wembley in March 2024, to grab the winner in a 1-0 victory
But former Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, now at Brazil, says he won’t pick Endrick if he isn’t playing regular club football
There is no shortage of clubs that want him in La Liga. Strugglers Real Oviedo are the division’s lowest scorers and a player who currently earns less than €2m a season might not be beyond their financial capacity in terms of wages.
But they will need to convince the player that he needs to join them in January. Fighting a relegation battle in Spain is not what Endrick dreamed of when he agreed to sign for Madrid in December 2022.
The club are said to prefer a loan move to another Spanish club, but the allure of playing in England is likely to be far greater for the player, and he will have a major say in his next destination.
And Endrick has happy memories of England. His first ever goal for Brazil came when he climbed off the bench at Wembley in March 2024, to grab the winner in a 1-0 victory.
