Real Madrid continues to hunt in Brazilian youth academy: Vinicius, Rodrygo… Endrick

60 million… or 70

Like Vinicius and Rodrygo, Endrick was recruited by whites before he turned 18. ANDIn this case, we are talking about a cost of 60 million Euros, 35 of which is fixed and 25 is variable. Although they increase this figure to 70 in Brazil. More than 45 million they paid for Vinicius the same day they paid for Rodrygo. Players who revalued in Madrid, especially in the last season, made them important parts of the Brazilian team at the World Cup in Qatar.

Endrick is a different player from his fellow countrymen. It has more of Romario than Vinicius in it. The player with tremendous power and explosive start, his range of motion is closer to the imbalance and finish area. Unemployed, his father decided to put pictures of his son on YouTube and researched big clubs in Brazil, eventually getting Palmeiras to sign him a contract. The boy found a way out in football “to help my family who didn’t have the resources to feed us”.. And with a power and a touchdown (165 in 169 matches in five years), he became the most coveted player in Copinha, the biggest showcase of the Brazilian youth academy. In the 2022 edition, he was declared Player of the Tournament after scoring seven goals in seven matches and winning the title for Palmeiras.

After the signing of Endrick, June Caulk. This Spaniard, who grew up in Sao Paulo, At age 49, he became Chief Scout and International Football director in Madrid. He landed at Valdebebas in 2014, the ‘culprit’ of the signings of Vinicius and Rodrygo, as well as Uruguay’s Federico Valverde and Brazil’s Militao. In Europe, he also recruited players like Camavinga and Odegaard for Madrid.

16-year-old Endrick is another bet that follows the same line drawn by the club to sign Rio de Janeiro football promises that other big clubs in Europe have coveted. In the case of Endrick, Fútbol Club Barcelona was particularly persistent when it came to getting him the transfer. The Catalans knocked on the Brazilian’s door three times. In the last one, there was even a meeting between actor Xavi Hernández and his father.

But Real Madrid’s good work with Vinicius and Rodrygo has led Brazil’s rising stars to favor the white team. At the Bernabéu they forget the saudade and smile at their ball feet, encouraged by coaches like Ancelotti or Zidane who release the reins of talent. Everyone knows that they are closer to the Ballon d’Or there, as evidenced by their win in the white shirt. So since 2000 players like Benzema, Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo or Ronaldo Nazario, Cannavaro, Owen or Figo have achieved it.

Time will tell if that 60 million (or 70) is too expensive. The bet on Rodrygo and Vinicius went well and now it’s time to wait until 2024 for this football player, whom Real Madrid is already skeptical about. He is a player signed with the whites in the middle of the World Cup, a tournament where Florentino always gets the opportunity to drop the nets.

‘World Cup’ transfers

After the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, three players arrived: Germans Mesut Özil and Sami Khedira and Argentine Ángel di María. Selected in 2014 were James Rodríguez, Toni Kroos and Keylor Navas. After 2018, he added Belgian Thibaut Courtois and Belgium to third place Eden Hazard to his squad. Endrick came before his debut for Brazil, but everything indicates he will be a heavyweight player in the second half. green yellow in the next ten years.