"Anyone interested in him will have to fight me hard," Jose Mourinho said when asked about Endrick's future. The Real Madrid forward has played just four minutes in LaLiga this season, with his only league appearance a four-minute cameo against Elche. Mourinho spoke to TNT Sports Brazil after a pre-season injury, and he said he does not think Endrick needs to go on loan.
Mourinho's public stance
The quotes leave little room for a quick exit. Mourinho told teamtalk.com that Endrick suffered an injury after pre-season that kept him out for more than a month, then added, "I don't think he needs to go on loan, and I think he will be very successful here."
He also said, "He is a player I love; he has incredible potential." That is a firm public line, and it fits with his earlier admission to goal.com that he had not given Endrick a real chance after the forward's recovery.
Why the loan noise keeps coming back
The other side of the story is the minutes total. One league appearance and four minutes in LaLiga is thin by any standard, and it is why loan talk has kept resurfacing around Endrick. He has only four appearances in all competitions in 2026, so the frustration is easy to understand.
The clubs being linked are not random either. AC Milan are repeatedly described as the frontrunners for a January loan move, while Aston Villa and Manchester United have also been mentioned as possible destinations.
That does not mean the door is open. The reporting on Real Madrid has been mixed, but Mourinho's comments point in the other direction, and on the evidence available right now he is resisting a January exit rather than preparing one.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
