Endrick has raised the banner of defiance at Real Madrid, despite his difficult situation and diminishing chances of nailing down a starting spot in the Madrid line-up.
According to the newspaper "Marca", the Brazilian forward now finds himself under Jose Mourinho, and he is trying once again to force his way into the first XI, even with every circumstance seemingly stacked against him.
This is nothing new. He struggled under Carlo Ancelotti two seasons ago, then again last season with Xabi Alonso.
Last January, in fact, he headed out on loan to Olympique Lyon, a move that opened the door for him to play for Brazil at the World Cup.
Gonzalo's emergence posed a major obstacle at the Club World Cup. Under Ancelotti, though, Endrick shone in the Copa del Rey and finished as the tournament's top scorer.
Selling Gonzalo to Fulham does little to change things for Endrick. Real Madrid moved swiftly in the transfer market to sign Carlos Espi as an out-and-out striker.
That deal sends a clear message from the club to the Brazilian, and from Mourinho himself, who gave the green light to bring in a striker. But Endrick is not the type to give up easily.
He may look for space on the right wing, yet that option has also grown difficult with the arrival of Yan Diomande.
None of this will be settled within days. Endrick wants to keep featuring in matches through pre-season, and he believes he can convince Mourinho. He cut short his holiday to return to training with the Portuguese coach as quickly as possible, knowing he did not have much time.
So far, he has started the friendly against Fiorentina despite the handful of training sessions behind him, and he took his chance to score. In some sessions, Mourinho has publicly congratulated the player after a standout performance.
Leaving for a second year never crossed his mind. His plan was to come back and stake a claim at Real Madrid under Mourinho. The competition is fierce, though, and unless one of the main strikers departs, the only option, unlikely as it is, remains Vinicius.