Endrick has not featured yet for Real Madrid this season as an injury has kept him out of action from the very first game. He is now close to a return, but it already appears difficult, if not impossible, to break into the team’s starting XI.

With Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Yan Diomande, Arda Guler and even Brahim Diaz fighting for the three spots in attack, Endrick can only hope for a second-string role this season.

That too, however, has been complicated by the arrival of Carlos Espi, who is a direct competitor and has enjoyed a strong start to the season.

Ready to return

As reported by Diario AS now, Endrick is prepared to make his return to the field and has seemingly recovered from his setback. However, Jose Mourinho sees the player as capable of playing for only 5-10 minutes at most.

He could make his return in the team’s game against Rayo Vallecano later today as an option off the bench, but that too remains largely uncertain and will depend on the game state.

The Spanish outlet further confirms that the Brazilian striker’s path at Real Madrid is now complicated despite the club insisting on him staying this summer.

He was expected to be Mbappe’s first-choice backup, but Espi has now forced himself into the conversation and holds the upper hand.

Real Madrid refused to let him leave

Indeed, it was Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho who stood between Endrick and a potential departure this summer, as there were several clubs interested in his signing even on loan.

The manager, however, refused to sanction the departure and promised the player minutes in his project, leading to interest from several clubs, including Roma, being futile.

Now, however, he faces a dilemma: the player he pushed to sign, Espi, stands as a direct hurdle to Endrick’s path at the club.

Keeping both players in the long run may not be sustainable, especially given that Mbappe is the first-choice striker. The winter transfer window will thus be interesting if the Brazilian star does not enjoy adequate minutes.