Real Madrid signs Endrick, the ‘killer’ of the future

Endrick’s signing for Real Madrid is now official. The club chaired by Florentino Pérez has announced this Thursday that it has reached an agreement with Palmeiras to incorporate the very young Brazilian diamond that burns stages of growth at lightning speed, to the point of becoming, at 16, one of the greatest promises of world football.

“Real Madrid CF, Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, Endrick and his family have reached an agreement whereby the player will be able to join Real Madrid when he comes of age in July 2024. Until then, Endrick will continue his training at SE Palmeiras”, states the Real Madrid statement, which specifies that the attacker will travel to Madrid in the coming days to visit the white team’s facilities and familiarize himself with what will be his home in two years.

Real Madrid will pay Palmeiras about 35 million euros, plus another 25 million subject to compliance with a series of variables, to recruit a center forward for whom other European football transatlantics such as PSG, Chelsea or Barça sighed. The Parisian club even offered 80 million euros to Palmeiras for the transfer of Endrick and Estevao, another of the emerging talents of Brazilian football. For his part, Xavi Hernández confirmed that he had contacted Endrick to convey the interest of the Catalans in taking over his services.

However, Real Madrid had taken the lead months before thanks to the intense scouting work of Juni Calafat, the architect in his day of other signings such as Vinicius, Rodrygo or Valverde. The head of the Real Madrid recruiting department narrowed the fence, forged a great relationship with Endrick’s family and finished convincing the teenager that the Chamartín club offered him the best project to develop among the elite.

Endrick will arrive at Real Madrid in 2024 because FIFA regulations prevent him from leaving Brazil until he reaches the age of majority, as was the case with Vinicius or Rodrygo in the past. Until then, the international with the lower categories of the ‘Canarinha’ will continue to wear the colors of Palmeiras, the club that gave him a chance at the age of 10 after Santos or Sao Paulo rejected him considering him too short to be a striker.

The new ‘menino’ of gold

Endrick will sign a three-season contract with Real Madrid because that is the time limit stipulated by FIFA for a footballer of his age, but the agreement is already drawn up to renew it for another three additional seasons. He will receive about two million euros for each of the courses in which he will be linked to Real Madrid. Figures that speak of a big bet from Real Madrid, in line with the expectations raised by the new golden ‘menino’ of Brazilian football.

Born in Brasilia on July 21, 2006 into a very humble family, Endrick Felipe Moreira de Sousa is a skilful, fast and very powerful center forward who makes up for his short stature with his powerful lower body and amazing sense of smell. At the age of 16, he has conquered the league in his country with Palmeiras, being named revelation player in a championship in which he scored three goals and provided an assist in the seven games he played. In addition, he has broken several precociousness records with ‘Verdao’. He is the youngest player in the history of Palmeiras to make his debut with the first team (he did it at 16 years, two months and 15 days) and to score (16 years, three months and four days). He is also the only player to have won titles in all categories for the São Paulo club.

Endrick, who shares a representation agency with Vinicius, ended up attracting attention at Copinha, the popular youth tournament in which he catapulted Palmeiras to the title in 2021. At just 15 years old, the garoto broke the spell that was chasing ‘Verdao’ in the competition and propelled him to the final, where he scored for Santos 4-0, including a great goal from the future Real Madrid striker. Endrick scored six goals in a tournament in which he was proclaimed MVP and which ended up putting him on the radar of the greats of Europe and helped him sign his first professional contract with the Sao Paulo club.

“I thank Palmeiras, champion of the Americas and the world and, forever, the club of my heart, for having offered me everything I needed to be who I am today, helping me fulfill my dreams and respecting my wishes and those of my family. », Endrick pointed out on his social networks after his signing for Real Madrid became official. “Until I apply to Real Madrid, I will continue dedicating myself as I have always done to be able to offer Palmeiras even more on the field: more goals, more victories, more titles and even more happiness for our fans,” added a footballer who is called up. to play the South American Sub-20. In the ‘white house’ they see him as Benzema’s replacement once the glittering 2022 Ballon d’Or hangs up his boots, then forming an offensive trident full of samba along with Vinicius and Rodrygo.