Endrick goal shows why Barcelona, Real Madrid and Man Utd are interested

Robin Bairner

Updated: 27 Sept 2022 20:24 BST
3 min read

Palemeiras forward Endrick underlined his potential by scoring the winning goal for his club in the final of the Brasileirao Sub-20, doubtless with scouts from a host of suitors watching on.

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The 16-year-old is yet to make his senior debut for his club, but that has not stopped him forging a reputation for being one of the brightest young talents in Brazil – a nation known for the sheer volume of quality footballers it produced.

Real Madrid and Barcelona have long led the way for the attacker, who has been compared to the likes of Romario and Ronaldo, but they also face competition from the Premier League, with reports last week suggesting that Manchester United, Newcastle and Tottenham are all following him intently. Chelsea had been previously credited with an interest.

That interest will have stepped up after his weekend exploits, in which he was decisive for his side in their victory over Corinthians.

This came a week after he appeared on the bench for the senior team for the first time, and a first-team opportunity is surely just around the corner.

Endrick is decisive

💥 This is why Real Madrid and Barcelona want Endrick! pic.twitter.com/nFtppbn427
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) September 26, 2022

In what was a fast-paced match played in a fraught atmosphere, Endrick showed the one moment of quality that broke the game open. Dropping deep into a pocket of space, he gathered possession, turned to advance several metres and placed a left-footed shot into the corner of the net.

It was a goal that spoke volumes about his understanding of space plus the accuracy of his shooting, although Endrick has already built a reptuation as a complete attacker with few notable weaknesses in his game.

Certainly, this was also a significant mental test for him because the rivalry between the clubs is intense, and for such a young player to be the difference was impressive.

Palmeiras’ success means that for the first time in Brazilian football history, the same club has won the two major competitions: the Copa Sao Paulo de Juniores, in which e was voted the best player, and the Brasileirao Sub-20.

Scouts are continuing to flock to watch him and the race to sign Endrick, and contributions like Sunday’s will only see his value increase further.