Mourinho shuts door on Endrick loan despite four minutes played this season

José Mourinho has ended speculation over an Endrick loan departure this winter, insisting the Brazilian striker will remain at Real Madrid despite having virtually no playing time since the season began.

Questioned on the eve of the UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid and AS Roma — one of the clubs cited among potential suitors for a loan — the Portuguese manager was categorical. “Forget it, forget it. Forget the interested clubs. They would be better off waiting, otherwise they will find the time long. He is a player I adore. He is a player who, I believe, has incredible potential and who is very important to us.”

Endrick has accumulated just four minutes of playing time since the start of the season. Mourinho justified this situation by citing an injury sustained after the pre-season, which kept the Brazilian out of action for more than a month. “I have already discussed this personally with him, because after his recovery, the opportunity had not presented itself,” he clarified.

Endrick’s trajectory at Real Madrid has remained chaotic. Arriving with the status of a major prospect in Brazilian football, he had earned some appearances under Carlo Ancelotti before losing his place in the rotation under Xabi Alonso. A loan to Olympique Lyonnais during last winter’s transfer window had allowed him to regain playing time, but his return to Madrid this summer has not changed things on the pitch.

Mourinho did, however, leave a slight opening in his final response on the subject: “Whoever is interested will have to fight to convince me, because I believe he does not need to be loaned out and that he will do very well here.” A formulation that, far from definitively closing the door, suggests the coach’s conviction could be shaken by a sufficiently convincing offer.