Real Madrid have been dealt a massive blow as Brazilian forward Endrick is set to be sidelined during their FIFA Club World Cup campaign through injury. According to reports from La Sexta’s Jose Sanchez, the 18-year-old has suffered a serious knock to his hamstring.
After bursting onto the scene with Palmeiras in his homeland of Brazil, Endrick moved to Real for a reported €47.5 million fee in 2024. Despite being considered one of the best young players in the world, he has found minutes hard to come by in his debut campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Although he has made 37 appearances for Los Blancos, he has only been on the pitch for 847 minutes. Even with his limited playing time, he has bagged seven goals and an assist, showcasing why the club decided to invest in him as their long-term answer up front.
According to La Sexta, Endrick is set to watch on from the sidelines for a period of two months. This means that he could have to wait until the commencement of the 2025-26 LaLiga campaign to make his return.
Over the past few weeks, Endrick’s countrymen Vinicius and Rodrygo have also suffered injuries that could potentially keep them out of action for an extended period. As it stands, Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz are the only two attackers fit and ready for Real Madrid’s fixture against Real Sociedad on Saturday, May 24.
The Merengues’ coach, Carlo Ancelotti, is set to depart the club at the end of the 2024-25 campaign and take over as Brazil manager. Xabi Alonso is likely to be announced as the Italian’s replacement. He will now face an uphill climb in the FIFA Club World Cup with a host of star players sidelined due to injury.
Journalist Florian Plettenberg (Sky Germany) has claimed that Arsenal have stepped up their interest in signing Real Madrid forward Rodrygo.
After the arrival of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer, the 24-year-old has often been played out of position or dropped out of the starting lineup completely. Despite the issues, he has racked up 13 goals and 10 assists in 50 games this season.
Arsenal, who first showcased interest in signing him in the summer of 2024, have reportedly maintained an interest in him. According to Plettenberg, a disgruntled Rodrygo is a ‘potential departure candidate’ at the Santiago Bernabeu.
In a post on X, the German journalist wrote (via EPL Index):
The Gunners have a lot of talent in attack, including the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz. However, injuries plagued them in the 2024-25 campaign, exposing the lack of depth in their attack.
Given the circumstances, Rodrygo’s move from Real Madrid to Arsenal would be the right decision for all the parties involved. However, with his contract lasting until 2028, the Merengues would likely want a massive transfer fee for his services, which could complicate proceedings.
A Borussia Dortmund fan, Aaryan had his first tryst with football during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Despite his young mind being influenced by Lionel Messi’s exploits, his favorite World Cup moment is Cristiano Ronaldo’s stunning free-kick against Spain from the 2018 version. He strongly believes that Jude Bellingham and Florian Wirtz can replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their respective potentials.
Aaryan, who has been on commentary panels for football and cricket tournaments at his university, is a huge admirer of Achraf Hakimi for the Moroccan’s loan stint in Dortmund between 2018 and 2020. His favorite manager is Jurgen Klopp, who impressed him with his excellent tactical nous and benignant man-management skills.
When he is not scouring the internet for unique statistics, Aaryan follows the Indian Super League, the A-League, and the Saudi Pro League among others. He is an avid quizzer and debater, and a trained classical and western musician who likes to rock out for his college band, Euphony, as lead vocalist and guitarist.
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