The situation Endrick found himself in upon returning from his vacation was not in any script. The Brazilian forward brought forward his return after the World Cup with the hope of fighting for a place, and came up against a challenge that seems almost impossible to overcome. Practically condemned to ostracism. The squad had two strikers under Mourinho’s orders, Mbappé and Gonzalo García, but the academy graduate’s departure began to take shape —the announcement of his signing for Arbeloa’s Fulham is imminent— and there a glimmer seemed to open up for Endrick to once again challenge the Frenchman for a starting spot.
The opening, however, lasted only as long as a sigh. Madrid had kept a wild card in reserve to replace Gonzalo, and did so at Mourinho’s express request, as he demanded a powerful striker, a focal point, a profile in the style of Adebayor, whom he himself had already signed during his first spell at the club. A mold Endrick does not fit. That is why the club bet on Carlos Espí in a lightning-fast deal completed on Thursday night. 25 million for the release clause of the Valencian striker from Levante, 1.94 meters tall and under contract until 2031. Endrick, through no fault of his own, was becoming the collateral victim of the plan.
The move had an immediate effect. This Friday, the now former Granota striker already trained in Valdebebas and has even been included in the squad for the first preseason friendly against Fiorentina, sharing the list with Endrick himself. Two strikers for the same trip, although with paths that seem to be heading in opposite directions. One arrives as an exciting new addition, while the other sees his horizon narrowing once again despite having a promising future.
In this situation, Endrick once again finds himself practically out of the plans, now under a coach he has not even had time to convince despite having cut short his vacation. It is the same feeling he experienced in December 2025, when his loan move to Olympique Lyon began to take shape. That departure ended up happening, and the Brazilian made the most of it for six months, playing mainly as a right winger, far from being an out-and-out “9” but with minutes and confidence.
The option as a winger, ruled out
Precisely that asset, the ability to reinvent himself out wide, has also run out for him. On the right wing, Madrid has accumulated some very heavyweight names. The upcoming arrival of Yan Diomande, the game-changing Brahim, the return of Rodrygo —back toward the end of the year— and even the possibility of a Valverde who could find a place in that channel. The attacking picture, viewed from any angle, leaves little free space for a 20-year-old footballer who is still looking for a place to prove himself.
There is still a whole preseason ahead, but July plans rarely make it through to September intact. Endrick will get minutes in the friendlies to reopen a debate that today seems settled, and his youth continues to work in favor of patience. But the starting picture leaves the Brazilian back at the starting square he wanted to escape, with more competitors and less excitement than when he packed his bags for France.