Jose Mourinho says it is “dramatic” for a tired full-back to suddenly face Endrick, but the Real Madrid boss still isn’t finding him many minutes, and that is exactly the gap Arsenal have been watching.
The 20-year-old came off the bench in Wednesday night’s 3-2 Champions League win over AEK Athens, playing on the right as Madrid came back from 2-1 down to keep their perfect record in the competition. Federico Valverde won it in stoppage time with a powerful strike from outside the box.
Endrick replaced Bernardo Silva in the second half and gave Madrid an outlet. He set up a good chance for Kylian Mbappe late on, which was saved, and had a shot of his own blocked in the closing stages.
What did Mourinho say about Endrick?
Speaking after the game, Mourinho admitted that leaving talented players out bothers him. “It frustrates me for all those who are not playing because everyone deserves to play,” he said.
He then picked out the Brazilian. “I think it’s dramatic for a full-back, after playing an hour against someone of quality, to then face Endrick; it’s truly complicated.”
And he made it clear he sees the depth as a luxury, not a problem: “There are many coaches who must look at me with a lot of healthy envy because, when I have problems, I look at the bench and have so many options.”
Why the minutes still don’t add up
Warm words, but no promise of more football. The former Palmeiras forward has made only a handful of appearances and scored once since coming back from Lyon, with injuries delaying his return to the matchday squad at first.
Now the problem is the queue. Mbappe is the main centre-forward, and Vinicius Junior, Yan Diomande, Brahim Diaz and Carlos Espi are all options in the attacking spots. Being the man who comes on to run at tired legs is a role, but it isn’t the one a player of his profile wants at 20.
We looked at the January loan terms that split Arsenal and Madrid over Endrick at the start of the month, and nothing in Mourinho’s latest comments changes that picture. He has already warned interested clubs that he isn’t planning to sanction a January exit.
Arsenal and Aston Villa keep watching
According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal have made contact with the Brazilian’s representatives about a possible move, with Mikel Arteta looking to add to his attack. Nothing has been agreed, and the interest is in his versatility as much as his goals.
Spanish reports in October named Aston Villa among the leading candidates for another loan, with Lyon and Roma also monitoring. That is a crowded field for a player whose club still insists he is part of the plan.
The case for him is easy enough to make. In the second half of last season he scored eight goals and added eight assists in 21 appearances under Paulo Fonseca at Lyon. Regular football clearly suits him, and Arsenal know from their own long summer shortlist how hard it is to find attackers who are actually available.
Is Endrick to Arsenal still realistic in January?
Only if Madrid’s stance moves, and Wednesday suggested it hasn’t. When a manager praises a player this publicly while still using him off the bench, it usually means he wants to keep him, not sell him. Madrid face Valencia in La Liga on Saturday, and Mourinho has already said more rotation is coming, so the next few weeks will show whether those minutes really grow.
If they don’t, the Gunners will be one of several clubs ready to make the call. But we’d still say Arsenal should only go for it with a route to keeping him. A six-month loan would help Real Madrid as much as anyone, and Arteta needs more than a short-term fix up front.
