What happens next to Endrick?

When Real Madrid completed the €72 million deal for Endrick, they believed they had just acquired the brightest jewel in Brazilian football. The 18-year-old was hailed as the “new Ronaldo”, the man who, along with Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo Goes, would usher in a new era of young Galacticos. A year later, that dream is slipping away in silence.

The harsh truth

Endrick is only 19, but he has already tasted the dark side of glory. His first season at the Bernabeu saw him score seven goals, not bad considering his limited playing time, just over 350 minutes in La Liga. Most of the time, Endrick came on late in the second half, when Real had the game under control. But at least then the Brazilian still felt like he was being used. Under Xabi Alonso, that opportunity has all but disappeared.

In the 2025/26 season, he played just once, for 14 minutes in a 4-0 win over Valencia. In the previous six matches, Endrick's name only appeared on the bench. He was also not called up by Carlo Ancelotti to the Brazilian national team in four consecutive training sessions. The fall from "prodigy" to "forgotten man" happened incredibly quickly.

A hamstring injury in May was the start of a dark period. Endrick missed the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, then suffered a recurrence of the injury just as the new season began. When he returned, Real Madrid under Xabi Alonso had a stable frame with Gonzalo Garcia at the centre.

In the eyes of the Spanish coach, Garcia is better at holding the ball and connecting with his teammates, while Endrick is still just a pure goalscorer. “He has the instinct to score goals, but he has not yet integrated into the team’s rhythm,” explained expert Guillem Balague.

Endrick is training hard.

That comment is true but also cruel. Endrick is still the type of striker who is instinctive, fast, strong, and has a good shot, but Real's current style of play requires the highest player to be able to play in the background, stretch, pass the ball and keep the rhythm. Endrick is not that type of player. He is learning to adapt to an environment that requires maturity beyond his 19 years.

Endrick at the crossroads

Real Madrid now face a difficult problem. They want to protect their huge investment, but they cannot afford to let a great talent sit on the bench forever. Loan options are being discussed, although there is still much hesitation.

The club understand that leaving Madrid early could help Endrick get regular playing time and experience, especially with the 2026 World Cup looming. But they also fear that a failed loan deal would damage his value and confidence.

Several teams have expressed interest. Lyon (France) is the most likely option. They play in the Europa League and can guarantee Endrick a regular place. Some Premier League teams like West Ham are also interested, but the Premier League is too harsh for a 19-year-old player who is not yet fit and experienced enough.

Chelsea were interested in Endrick when he was at Palmeiras, but they are now full of other young talent. Aston Villa were mentioned, but the departure of sporting director Monchi makes a deal unlikely.

If Endrick wants to become a true Galactico, he must dare to step out of his comfort zone.

On the other hand, there are also reasons for Endrick to stay. He has adapted well to life in Madrid, speaks Spanish well, and feels comfortable in Real's training environment. Staying, even if he doesn't get much playing time, could help Endrick learn how a big club operates. Time could be his ally if Alonso decides to rotate his squad in the coming period.

The truth is that Endrick is standing between two paths. One is to stay, continue to wait patiently and slowly mature under the enormous pressure at the Bernabeu. The other is to leave to find the feeling of playing football again, take the risk and start over. Whichever path he chooses, he is still only 19 years old, there is still time to do it again.

Endrick is not the first Real player to find himself in this situation. Martin Ødegaard went through similar years before finding success at Arsenal. Brahim Diaz also had to do an apprenticeship in Milan before returning. That path could be an example for Endrick.

At 19, the biggest mistake was the fear of failure. If Endrick wanted to become a real Galactico, he had to dare to step out of his comfort zone. Because at Real Madrid, only those with enough courage can survive. And now, Endrick's first challenge is to overcome the fear of being forgotten, to prove that his Bernabéu dream is still alive.

Source: https://znews.vn/chuyen-gi-se-xay-ra-tiep-theo-voi-endrick-post1601735.html