Real Madrid News
Ex-Brazil star makes huge claim about Real Madrid new signing: “Better than Romario, Ronaldo”
Earlier today, Real Madrid officially confirmed the signing of Brazilian prodigy Endrick from Palmeiras.
Los Blancos spent a hefty €60 million on his signing, although €35 million will be paid in fixed fees while the rest of the €25 million is performance-related add-ons.
Endrick, though, will only be arriving at the club in 2024, once he turns 18. The teenage sensation has signed a three-year deal from 2024 to 2027, with an option for an additional three years, meaning he is effectively tied down to Real Madrid until 2030.
Despite his young age, Real Madrid have opted to splurge heavily on Endrick. And judging by how highly rated the 16-year-old is in his homeland, the investment could very well be worth it.
Indeed, former Brazil international Craque Neto has claimed that the 16-year-old is so talented that he can grow into a better footballer than Selecao legends Ronaldo and Romario.
Speaking in an interview, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo, he said: “It’s a pity that we won’t see Endrick a lot here in Brazil. This boy is going to fly. He’s going to be better than Romario and Ronaldo!”
Neto is not the first ex-Brazil player to heap praise on Endrick. Former Real Madrid superstar, Ronaldo himself had recently spoken highly of the 16-year-old, as he said: “Endrick is a great talent for the next few years.”
Endrick has been making waves throughout his youth career at Palmeiras. He burst into the limelight following his exploits with the club’s youth team at the Copinha tournament earlier this year.
Having made a splash, Endrick soon got his first-team breakthrough at Palmeiras. In seven senior appearances, he has three goals and an assist, despite being just 16 years old.
Real Madrid fans will certainly be excited by the immense potential he has shown and will look forward to see how he develops in the next couple of years before he arrives at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Manchester City have now joined the ever-growing list of admirers for Celta Vigo midfielder and Real Madrid target Gabri Veiga, reports Jack Gaughan of the Daily Mail.
The 20-year-old midfielder has emerged as one of the breakout stars of La Liga this season, having impressed with his goalscoring abilities from the centre of the park. Indeed, the youngster has notched up nine goals in La Liga and his exploits have made the giants of Europe sit up and take notice.
Real Madrid are said to be interested in Veiga’s services heading into the summer. The Merengues have Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Dani Ceballos on expiring contracts and it is unlikely that all three will be renewed, especially with Jude Bellingham being on the agenda.
In case of Modric and Kroos, even if they stay, it will likely be for only a season at the most. Hence, Los Blancos could require more than one central midfielder come summer, with Veiga emerging as an option.
The 20-year-old was also attracting interest from the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Atletico Madrid. Now, Manchester City have also jumped on the bandwagon of clubs interested in Veiga’s services.
The Cityzens, who are battling Real Madrid for Bellingham as well, are set to lose Ilkay Gundogan in the summer when his contract expires. Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva’s future is also far from certain, thus necessitating the signing of another midfielder.
Veiga has a release clause worth €40 million in his contract with Celta Vigo, which should not be a problem for either Real Madrid or Manchester City.
Celta Vigo president Carlos Mourino recently admitted that the midfielder could leave the club in the summer, saying:
“We don’t want to sell Gabri Veiga, but they are going to buy him from us. And we can’t do anything there. We know some of his offers and it is impossible to reach them.
“There are several teams behind Gabri. Real Madrid? They haven’t asked us, we don’t know if they will have called the player. Of the top 10 in the Premier League, four have asked about him.”
It will certainly be interesting to see whether Real Madrid are prepared to go all out for Veiga’s signing or decide to entirely focus on their pursuit of Bellingham.
