Real Madrid News
Real Madrid believe 2024 signing will be better than Vinicius, Rodrygo upon arrival in Spain
The signing of Endrick in December last year generated a lot of excitement at Real Madrid, considering the potential he had showcased the sheer number of big clubs that were vying for his transfer.
Real Madrid took a gamble on Endrick, shelling out €60 million (including add-ons) on a young prospect, but they have immense confidence in the youngster and believe he will be worth the investment.
No Castilla for Endrick
In the past, when Real Madrid have signed top young talents in their teens, more often than not, those players were sent for stints with the club’s subsidiary team, Castilla.
Martin Odegaard, Vinicius Jr., and Rodrygo Goes all spent a little time with Castilla before being fully integrated into the Merengues’ first-team setup.
However, according to a report from UOL in Brazil, Endrick will not have a stint with Castilla and will straight away be drafted into the first-team plans at Real Madrid when he arrives from Palmeiras next summer.
The report states that Los Blancos believe that Endrick would be a much better player than Rodrygo and Vinicius when they arrived in Spain from Brazil.
As such, he will have no ‘internship’ with Castilla and will be a part of the first-team plans from the get-go, even if he has to spend time on the bench as he goes through his adaptation in the 2024/25 season.
There are no plans to loan Endrick out to any European team to help him adapt and develop either, with Real Madrid being 100% all in on the 17-year-old forward.
First Brazil call-up
This report comes in light of Endrick earning his first-ever call-up to the Brazilian national team earlier this week.
Indeed, Brazil boss Fernando Diniz has named the 17-year-old striker in the squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina.
Clearly, Real Madrid and Brazil both expect great things from Endrick and the striker has shown that he has the talent and the potential to live up to it.
Real Madrid are back in the Champions League following their impressive win against Cadiz on the weekend as they host Napoli at the Santiago Bernabeu for gameweek five.
They have already secured qualification to the round of 16, and even a point today would secure first place in the group.
With several players still injured, Carlo Ancelotti has opted for his best available starting lineup, with Daniel Carvajal taking responsibility of the captain’s armband at right-back. He will be aided by Ferland Mendy, who starts on the other side.
Meanwhile, in between them, David Alaba returns to the fold as the starting centre-back, partnering Antonio Rudiger. This duo has the responsibility of screening Andriy Lunin, who continues in goal in Kepa and Thibaut Courtois’ absence.
With both Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni out, Toni Kroos gets the chance to play as the holding midfielder for two games in a row. Federico Valverde retains his spot, as well, while Dani Ceballos comes in for the injured Luka Modric in central midfield.
Rodrygo will spearhead the team’s frontline as one of the two twin forwards, while Brahim Diaz gets the nod over Joselu. Jude Bellingham is the final, and arguably the most important piece of the puzzle, playing behind the front-two.
📋✅ Our starting 𝗫𝗜!
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) November 29, 2023
🆚 @en_sscnapoli #UCL pic.twitter.com/MarLb7TavA
Confirmed Madrid XI: Lunin; Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Ceballos; Bellingham; Diaz, Rodrygo
