Endrick’s Real Madrid Future in Doubt as Milan and Roma Show Interest
Endrick arrived at Real Madrid as the next big thing. Right now, he is fighting just to get on the pitch.
The 20-year-old forward could leave the Bernabéu in the January transfer window, with AC Milan and Roma both keen on a deal, according to Spanish outlet Marca. Madrid are stacked in attacking areas, and Endrick has slipped to the fringes of Jose Mourinho’s squad at a time when he should be accelerating, not stalling.
From Champions League hero to the bench
The paradox of his season so far is striking. In La Liga, Endrick has made only two appearances in the 2026-27 campaign. His minutes have been thin, his impact limited by lack of opportunity rather than lack of talent.
Then came Roma in the Champions League last week.
Thrown on in the second half, Endrick ripped the game open. A goal, an assist, and a starring role in a wild 4-3 comeback win. On a night when Madrid were wobbling, the Brazilian tilted the tie back their way and walked off as match-winner.
The performance forced Mourinho’s hand. Endrick started the following La Liga match against Sevilla, a chance to turn a one-off spark into a sustained run. The momentum, though, didn’t carry. He failed to get on the scoresheet and, just as quickly as he had broken in, he found himself squeezed out again.
Midweek against RB Leipzig, he was reduced to only two minutes on the pitch. A cameo in name only.
Mourinho’s pecking order and El Clasico blow
The pattern is clear. Mourinho still trusts others more in the wide roles. Yan Diomande and Arda Guler are ahead of Endrick in the manager’s thinking, and that hierarchy is set to be underlined again on the biggest domestic stage.
Endrick is expected to start on the bench in Sunday’s El Clasico. For a young attacker trying to build rhythm, watching from the sideline while the season’s defining fixtures unfold is a brutal reality check.
This is not the first time clubs have sensed an opening. Several sides showed interest in the summer, but Mourinho shut the door then, firmly against letting him go. The coach wanted him close, part of the group, an option he could shape.
Now, the equation looks different. The player’s frustration is growing, and the calendar is edging toward a window where decisions have to be made.
January pressure and Italian interest
Endrick’s camp know he cannot afford another half-season of stop-start football. If his situation does not improve, he could push to leave Madrid in January, even if only temporarily.
There is already a template. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Lyon, where he scored eight goals in 21 appearances. It was a productive spell, proof that with trust and consistent minutes he can deliver.
Clubs have taken note. Roma, who felt his quality up close in that Champions League defeat, are interested in bringing him to Serie A. Milan, always alert to high-upside attacking talent, are also in the frame.
A permanent exit is not the only scenario on the table. A loan move remains a strong possibility, giving Madrid the chance to protect their long-term investment while allowing Endrick to play the regular football he craves.
For now, he waits. Another Clasico from the bench, another week of questions. How long can a player of his ceiling accept a supporting role, and how long can Madrid afford to leave such a weapon holstered while Europe’s elite line up to give him centre stage?
