Rabat – Real Madrid forward Endrick is expected to remain at the club for the 2026-2027 season despite interest from several European teams, including Premier League side Aston Villa.
The 20-year-old has decided to stay in Madrid and fight for playing time following discussions involving the player, the club and head coach José Mourinho.
Aston Villa had been exploring a possible move after identifying Endrick as an attacking target.
Endrick faces significant competition in Real Madrid’s forward line, but Mourinho is expected to give him opportunities both centrally and from the right.
Kylian Mbappe remains Madrid’s first-choice center forward, while summer signing Carlos Espí provides another option through the middle. However, Endrick could also feature on the right, with Mourinho reportedly not considering Federico Valverde or Bernardo Silva regular solutions in that position.
The Brazilian has already featured prominently during preseason. Mourinho hailed his effort after Madrid’s opening friendly, noting that Endrick played more than 70 minutes despite having completed only three days of training.
He also started against Ferencváros on Saturday and had several opportunities in Madrid’s 2-1 win.
His situation is expected to be reassessed during the January transfer window if regular minutes prove difficult to secure.
Endrick faced a similar decision last season before joining Lyon on loan for the second half of the campaign. He scored eight goals in 21 appearances for the French club, a spell that helped him earn a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup.
He featured during Brazil’s World Cup campaign, which ended with a 2-1 defeat to Norway in the round of 16. Endrick came off the bench in that match and had one of Brazil’s opportunities to equalize.
Real Madrid originally agreed to sign Endrick from Palmeiras before he turned 18, with the transfer valued at an initial $35 million plus up to $25 million in performance-related bonuses. He officially joined the Spanish club in July 2024.
Madrid begin their La Liga campaign away to Espanyol on August 22. Endrick will now use the remaining preseason matches to strengthen his case for a significant role under Mourinho rather than pursue another loan away from the Bernabéu.
