An initial yes, but already a significant one. There are still months to go before the January transfer window, and who knows what might happen between now and Christmas, but Endrick has indicated to Milan that, if the opportunity arose to leave Madrid in the winter, the Rossoneri would be at the front of the queue, writes 'La Gazzetta dello Sport' in this morning's print edition.
At Real Madrid, the Brazilian forward faces competition that can only be described as fierce. With Mbappé, Vinicius, Bellingham, Diomandé, Espí, Brahim Diaz and, soon, his compatriot Rodrygo (who is preparing to return from a lengthy injury layoff) opportunities for the former Palmeiras player will be extremely limited, barring any surprises.
Not that Endrick has exactly had a clear path so far: his entire season with Los Blancos amounts to the four minutes he played in Elche on September 15. Virtually nothing. The international break allowed him to get a taste of competitive action again in Brazil's friendlies against Australia and India. But the equation “more minutes at club level equals a better chance of a national-team call-up” also applies to the Seleção youngster, who cannot afford to jeopardize his place in the national team by playing only sporadically. That is why, if the situation does not change, his departure in the January transfer window would be almost inevitable.
Milan are in the picture. Much like a year ago, when Endrick headed to Lyon. This time, Milan hope his flight will have Milan as its final destination.
The Rossoneri had already tried to sign the Brazilian on loan in the summer, but José Mourinho intervened forcefully to block the deal: “Endrick is not going anywhere.”
However, the Portuguese coach himself has been making very little use of the left-footed player from Taguatinga, who has no intention of languishing on the bench for the entire season. He has made that abundantly clear to his agency, the hugely influential Roc Nation, with which Gerry Cardinale enjoys excellent relations for entirely different business reasons.
The strong relationship between the head of RedBird and the Brazilian star's representatives could be the key factor in beating the competition to his signature, as Endrick is attracting interest from other clubs as well.
In Italy, Gian Piero Gasperini would gladly bring him to Roma, while in England his name has also recently been linked with Aston Villa. Cardinale, however, is very confident that the deal can be completed if Real Madrid open the door to his departure.
The deal structure
Milan would take Endrick on loan in January, but discussions with Real Madrid could also extend to the player's long-term future, potentially exploring alternative deal structures.
The Spanish champions are no strangers to devising highly imaginative transfer arrangements. For example, the Rossoneri and Los Blancos previously negotiated the Brahim Diaz deal, which involved a loan, a purchase option and a buy-back clause.
Real Madrid paid approximately €47.5 million for Endrick at the end of 2022, so any discussions would inevitably involve substantial sums.
The 20-year-old's wages, on the other hand, would not be an obstacle: his salary in Madrid is around €2.5 million net, plus bonuses.
Milan needs someone like Endrick:
While Milan's pursuit of Endrick in the summer was primarily driven by a desire to add quality, Saelemaekers' injury (which will sideline the Belgian for four months) means the club now also needs additional personnel in attacking midfield and attack.
The Real Madrid Brazilian would be useful to Ruben Amorim in several roles: as a second striker alongside Gonçalo Ramos, as a right winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation, or even as a centre-forward should the Portuguese striker need a rest or if a gap in the squad needs filling.
In short, with a single signing, Cardinale would provide his coach with three additional attacking options for the second half of the season.
For his part, Endrick has made his feelings clear: he is attracted by the prospect of joining Milan, as well as by the opportunity to play in Serie A, following his experiences in Spain and France.
