Real Madrid News
Real Madrid unlikely to pursue move for €60 million-rated Brazilian whizkid
Real Madrid have never shied away when it comes to splashing the cash on young players from Brazil.
In recent years, the Spanish giants have poached stars such as Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, both of whom have gone on to become a crucial part of the first-team setup.
Real Madrid are not expected to abandon their scouting mission in Brazil anytime soon either, with the club scouring the market for upcoming talents that can prove to be assets for the team in the years to come.
One of those targets was Endrick of Palmeiras, who is regarded as one of the most talented young players in Brazilian football right now. The youngster has already made a solid impression in the lower leagues and has notably scored six times in seven matches for the U20 setup.
However, according to a fresh report from Marca, Real Madrid are unlikely to pursue a deal for the Palmeiras whizkid at this very moment.
The reigning European champions are aware of the fact that Endrick, aged just 16, has to stay in Brazil for at least two more years before he can be eligible to move to Spain.
Real Madrid have also had their fair share of issues regarding La Liga’s rule of only registering three non-EU players in the squad. It has become a major obstacle in their quest to sign young talents from Brazil, even though Vinicius Junior was recently handed a Spanish passport.
However, the biggest obstacle for Real Madrid in their pursuit of Endrick could be the player’s hefty €60 million price tag. It is quite a fortune for a player who is yet to prove himself on the first-team level. Not to mention, the youngster will not be eligible to move to Santiago Bernabeu immediately.
Hence, Real Madrid are unlikely to pursue this transfer, though it will not come as a surprise to see them continue keeping track of Endrick’s progress in the coming years.
Real Madrid prospect Alexis Ciria will have to wait for his Champions League opportunity despite making a strong impression on Jose Mourinho during pre-season.
The Castilla winger has been left out of Real Madrid’s European squad, but the decision is the consequence of UEFA registration rules rather than a sporting judgment.
According to journalist Arancha Rodriguez (h/t Defensa Central), Ciria was not eligible for Madrid’s List B because he has not been with the club long enough to satisfy UEFA’s requirements.
Registering him would therefore have required Mourinho to include him on the more restrictive List A.
UEFA rules work against Ciria
List B provides clubs with additional flexibility to register young academy players, but being young enough is not sufficient on its own.
Players must also meet requirements concerning how long they have been eligible to represent the club.
Ciria does not meet those conditions because of his limited time at Valdebebas. Real Madrid would therefore have needed to sacrifice a List A position to register him.
With those places required for members of Mourinho’s senior squad, Ciria was ultimately left out.
Real Madrid’s List B instead includes youngsters such as Joan Martinez, Mario Rivas, Thiago Pitarch, Jorge Cestero and Daniel Yanez.
Many of these youngsters made a name for themselves under Mourinho during pre-season and could be used to make up the numbers in the Champions League squad.
They could also get some minutes off the bench, especially against relatively easier opposition, as Jose Mourinho looks to manage first-team minutes.
Mourinho still plans first-team opportunity
Importantly for Ciria, missing the Champions League squad does not appear to reflect a change in Mourinho’s opinion of him.
The youngster impressed during pre-season and is expected to continue spending time around the senior team.
Mourinho intends to give Ciria his official first-team debut during the season. That opportunity will now have to arrive in La Liga or the Copa del Rey.
The Portuguese tactician placed a lot of emphasis on trusting Castilla players during pre-season in the absence of first-team stars.
Ciria was one of the many names who made a name for themselves at Real Madrid during pre-season. He deserves a chance in the first team, and it remains to be seen how Jose plans his development.
