Real Madrid coach José Mourinho has decided that forward Endrick will stay at the club this season, closing the door on a possible loan move and effectively ending Real Madrid's transfer business unless a departure still occurs. Mourinho now has two preseason matches, against Deportivo and Schalke, to prepare his squad before La Liga begins against Espanyol on August 22.
Mourinho's decision
Mourinho settled weeks of internal debate by deciding the Brazilian would remain part of the project. The coach was convinced during preseason, when Endrick started both friendlies played and scored Real Madrid's first goal of the summer campaign, a crossed shot against Fiorentina that made it 2-2. The goal arrived just as Endrick's future at the club was in doubt, and Mourinho took it as a sign. Club president Florentino Pérez backed the coach's position without reservation.
Two clubs miss out
How close the move came to happening is shown by the fact that two clubs had advanced concrete negotiations before Mourinho put a stop to it. Aston Villa, managed by Unai Emery, showed genuine interest in a temporary loan, while Roma had emerged as the player's preferred destination given its place in the Champions League and greater assurances of playing time. Arsenal had also inquired about his situation in recent days, according to British media. Real Madrid had even considered covering part of the forward's salary, estimated at five million euros a year, to ease any loan deal, a factor Roma valued highly. In the end, none of the talks went through because the decision rested with the club and the coach, not with Endrick.
The versatility Mourinho wants
Mourinho sees Endrick as more than a classic center forward. The coach believes the Brazilian can play reliably on the right side of the attack, a position that is not new to him, since he occupied it at Palmeiras and used it under Paulo Fonseca at Olympique de Marseille. Real Madrid's planning staff have also noted that too many attackers in the squad prefer coming inside from the left, and Endrick fills that gap from the opposite flank.
January window not fully shut
Despite staying now, Endrick has not entirely ruled out a loan move in the winter transfer window if he does not get regular minutes at the Santiago Bernabéu. The player accepts the challenge Mourinho has set and is ready to compete for a place, but is clear about the conditions he would require to leave: a club playing in European competition, preferably the Champions League, and an undisputed role as starting center forward. Those conditions, together with Real Madrid's willingness to help fund his salary, leave the January door only slightly open rather than wide. For now, the Brazilian has two preseason matches left to keep convincing Mourinho that the door can close for good.
