Real Madrid's 'ace' to secure Endrick transfer

FT Desk

• 28 Nov 2022 08:40 CST
• 3 min read

Endrick has become one of the most in-demand players in the game after exploding onto the Brazilian football scene, but Real Madrid are well place to beat Barcelona, Chelsea and the like to the youngster's signature.

Endrick alerted European football's biggest clubs to his talents with seven goals in seven games at the Copa Sao Paulo de Futebol Junior in January, and he has since become Palmeiras' youngest first-team debutant and Brazilian football's second-youngest scorer.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a less than orderly queue has formed behind Endrick, with Real facing fierce competition from Barcelona, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain for the 16-year-old striker's signature - not that more clubs in world football wouldn't love to acquire him.

READ: Real Madrid send officials to negotiate Endrick transfer

Chelsea gave Endrick and his family a tour of Stamford Bridge and their Cobham training ground recently, introducing him to their Brazil star Thiago Silva, but it is Real who have the clearest pathway for young Brazilians making their way in European football.

Vinicius and Rodrygo examples

There are two recent examples indeed: Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo. Still only 22 and 21 respectively, the attackers both joined Real after turning 18, spent a handful of games playing with Real's Castilla reserve team, and were soon promoted to the first-team frame.

Vinicius and Rodrygo were cornerstones of Carlo Ancelottii's side as they swept all before them last season, doing the continental double of La Liga and European Cup. The former had a hand in 44 goals last season; the latter 19, and it was a surprise to nobody when they made Brazil's World Cup squad this winter.

READ: The 20 Brazil youngsters with the most potential

Their experience at Real isn't anecdotal. Two Brazilians - Marcelo and Casemiro - were in the unchanged starting line-ups as Real won three consecutive Champions Leagues between 2016 and 2018. They were also plucked from Brazil as youngsters.

There are other reasons Endrick might choose Real. It rains in London, French football is a relative backwater, and Barca can't afford to spend big after being knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage.

But if Endrick wants to make a reasoned decision, he simply needs to look at Vinicius and Rodrygo and realise there is only one decision to make.