In Madrid, the Endrick case is becoming one of the hottest soap operas of the early Xabi Alonso era. At only 17 years old, the Brazilian nugget, announced as the natural heir of Vinícius Jr, could already leave the Santiago Bernabéu… but only in the form of a loan.

According to the revelations of Fichajes, the management of Real Madrid opened the door to a departure from the January 2026 transfer window. The final sale is excluded, because Florentino Pérez continues to see Endrick as a strategic investment and a jewel to be polished for the future. But a very clear condition is set: any interested club must guarantee the player a minimum of 2,000 minutes of actual play on the season. A new clause, never used by the Merengues, which demonstrates how tense the situation is around the young striker.

Alonso, the frosty decision

Since his arrival on the bench, Xabi Alonso has favored experience and balance in a squad already rich in offensive stars: Mbappé, Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo, Brahim Díaz… Result: Endrick, although praised under Carlo Ancelotti, is now relegated to the role of luxury extra. Worse still, he didn’t argue every official minute since the start of the season, an anomaly for a player bought more than 40 million euros and presented as one of the greatest talents of his generation.

Behind the scenes, Alonso justifies his decision by the need to protect a player who is still too young to withstand Madrid pressure. But to those around Endrick, this prolonged sidelining looks more like one disguised disavowal.

Ancelotti, anger at a distance

According to relatives, Carlo Ancelotti has been quick to react since his departure. The Italian, who had placed his trust in Endrick during the pre-season and saw a golden future in him, was very critical. Comments attributed to the former coach are circulating in the Spanish press:

“I can’t believe they dare to throw away this gem so soon! ”

This sentence, repeated over and over again by the media and supporters, added fuel to the fire and reinforced the divide between supporters of patience and those who believe that Endrick must toughen up elsewhere.

Clubs already in the running

Unsurprisingly, several European clubs came forward. Juventus and Real Sociedad top the list, ready to offer a central role to the young Brazilian. In La Liga, clubs like Villarreal and Betis are also monitoring the matter, convinced that Endrick could explode away from Madrid’s pressure.

But be careful: the player himself has not yet given the green light. His dream remains to succeed in Madrid, like Vinícius Jr who had a complicated start before becoming an icon. Endrick privately repeats that he wants to “fight for his jersey”, even if his agents push him to accept a temporary solution.

Supporters divided

At the Bernabéu, the case is deeply divisive. Some members believe that Real’s strategy is wise: it is better to lend him to accelerate his progress than to let him rot on the bench. Others, on the contrary, see this forced departure as one inconsistency proof after years of preparation around his signing. On social networks, anger is brewing: We waited for Endrick as a savior, and now they already want to send him away? “, we can read on X (ex-Twitter).

A time bomb

What is most shocking is that this decision comes as Real are launched on a series of 7 consecutive victories, symbol of a collective in full confidence. However, instead of enjoying it, the club finds itself plunged into a controversy which threatens to weaken the image of stability that Alonso wanted to impose.

If Endrick really left Madrid in January, he would become there symbolic first “victim” from the Alonso era, a strong signal sent to all the young players in the squad: in Madrid, competition leaves no room for moods.

One thing is certain: Endrick’s future will be one of the most explosive issues of the winter transfer window. And whatever the outcome, the divide between Alonso, Ancelotti and some of the supporters risks leaving its mark.