By 90min | Created at 2024-11-19 16:09:43 | Updated at 2024-11-24 03:17:59
4 days ago
Premier League strugglers Southampton have registered their surprise interest in Real Madrid's prodigious forward Endrick, according to a report in Spain.
The Brazilian sensation arrived in Madrid during the summer, completing a long-awaited transfer on his 18th birthday in July. Despite his £40m price tag, Endrick was always expected to play a secondary role in a team which added Kylian Mbappe to a frontline stuffed with Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo.
However, the pitiful tally of minutes which Endrick has been afforded has raised some eyebrows. Carlo Ancelotti has handed the teenager just one start across all competitions - and that ended in a 1-0 defeat to Lille. As many as 18 Real Madrid players have racked up more minutes than Endrick so far this term.
Given the dramatic lack of game time, several clubs have registered an interest in offering a lifeline to Endrick in the form of a January loan deal, per SPORT. Newly promoted Premier League outfit Southampton were surprisingly put forward as an interested party.
Endrick is yet to start a La Liga match / Diego Souto/GettyImages
The Saints have scored just seven goals in 11 league games this season - the lowest in the division - and are rooted to the foot of the Premier League table. Russell Martin has rotated between Cameron Archer, Adam Armstrong and Ben Brereton Diaz but is still searching for a reliable goalscorer. Endrick is waiting for his first start in a European top flight, but has managed to score twice during his fleeting cameos for Madrid this season.
Fellow La Liga outfit Real Valladolid have also been touted while Serie A side Roma are considered to be Endrick's most likely destination. The capital club are already on to their third manager of the season following the emotionally charged return of Claudio Ranieri. Roma did splash £26m on La Liga's top scorer last season Artem Dovbyk, but the Ukraine international boasts just four league goals.
Reports emerged last month that Endrick had decided to remain in Madrid over the winter window, instead staying in Spain to fight for more minutes. However, the 18-year-old has been subsequently dropped from Brazil's international squad for November, with manager Dorival Junior bluntly explaining that he simply had not been playing enough football to warrant a call-up.
If Endrick continues to be overlooked by Ancelotti, he may be forced to move away from Madrid. Whether his search for minutes will take him from the European champions to the Premier League's relegation favourites remains to be seen.
