Jose Mourinho Sent Endrick Transfer Challenge by Rival Sporting Director

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho warned that anyone trying to take Endrick away from the Spanish capital will have a “serious fight on their hands with me.” Roma sporting director Tony D’Amico has made it clear that he’s up for the challenge.

Endrick scored in Madrid’s stunning 4–3 comeback win over Roma in the Champions League last week, but has been starved of minutes this season, starting only once in 2026–27.

After a productive loan spell at Lyon in the spring, there had been speculation that the 20-year-old would be shipped out temporarily again for this campaign. However, he stayed put past the transfer deadline, in spite of reported interest from a number of European clubs.

One of the linked parties was Roma and the Italians could revive their interest in January, with sporting director D’Amico addressing the speculation prior to his team’s Serie A clash with Genoa.

D’Amico Stokes Endrick Rumors

On the question of January signings, D’Amico told Sky Sport Italia: “Certainly, to face certain competitions and compete in matches like Wednesday’s, but also to confirm our place in the Champions League, we’ll need to take another step and add something. We tried in the summer and weren’t able to for various reasons, but we’ll try again to improve.

Asked specifically about an Endrick move, he suggested a loan move could be an option.

“Our policy is to sign strong players,” D’Amico said. “Then, when you buy a player on loan, there are various options to include. As Roma, we want to have the option, at the end of the season, to be able to keep whoever we bring in on loan. That’s our approach.”

Endrick, Mourinho Clash Over Real Madrid Exit

Speaking after Real Madrid’s win over Roma, during which he was named UEFA Man of the Match, Endrick admitted he would consider a January transfer.

“I take it day by day,” he told reporters. “If I have to leave in January, I’ll leave; if I have to stay, I’ll stay. I will do whatever God puts in my heart.”

The young forward’s stance is apparently in opposition to that of Mourinho, who, despite being reluctant to play Endrick, is adamantly against the idea of an exit.

“Forget it, forget it. Forget any interested clubs,” the manager responded when asked about January transfer interest in Endrick. “They had better sit down, otherwise they will get tired waiting.

“He is a player I love, with incredible potential. He is very important to us. Anyone interested in him will have a serious fight on their hands with me, because I believe he doesn’t need to go out on loan and will achieve tremendous success here.”

Vinícius Jr Ban Opens Door for Endrick

Endrick has cut a peripheral figure at Madrid under multiple managers since his 2024 arrival, when he was hailed as South American soccer’s top prospect.

Following his Champions League heroics off the bench, Endrick was handed his first start of the season in the weekend’s 4–1 win over Sevilla, beginning the game out wide on the right.

With Kylian Mbappé virtually unmoveable as Mourinho’s center forward—and now backed up by super-sub Carlos Espí—Endrick’s best hope for game time may well be as a winger—a role he performed to some success last season for Lyon.

Sunday’s victory at the Bernabéu saw a shuffling of the pack from Mourinho after some indifferent performances. Arda Güler was moved to central midfield for more creative control, while Vinícius Jr’s four-game suspension necessitated a change of wingers, with Yan Diomande also starting.

With three more games to go before his fellow Brazilian is available again, Endrick has a golden opportunity to show what he can do for this Madrid team.

His next chances will come in Wednesday’s Champions League visit of RB Leipzig and El Clásico at Camp Nou on Sunday, Oct. 25. Should he continue to impress as he did against Roma, he will give Mourinho and Madrid’s higher-ups plenty to think about.