Endrick is desperate to prove himself, and he has shown it. The teenager broke off his summer schedule, cut his holiday short and sent a clear message to Jose Mourinho, unlike compatriot Vinicius Junior, who chose to see out his full rest period.
The Portuguese coach got a major boost on Wednesday. Antonio Rudiger and Endrick both returned to training at the Valdebebas sports city after passing their medical examinations, joining Denzel Dumfries, who had arrived on Tuesday and took part in his first group session today.
According to Spanish newspaper "Sport", Endrick's return was the big surprise. The pre-arranged schedule had the Brazilian striker due back on 31 July, alongside Vinicius Junior, after Brazil's World Cup campaign ended with elimination in the round of 16 against Norway.
The 19-year-old decided otherwise. He cut his holiday short by two full days and turned up at Valdebebas ahead of schedule, out to win Mourinho's trust from the very first session.
This summer is pivotal in his career, and Endrick knows it. A highly successful loan spell with Olympique Lyon restored his level and his scoring confidence, and now he wants to prove he deserves a place in Real Madrid's new project. The attacking line is shifting around him: Gonzalo Garcia is close to a move to Fulham, a loan for Franco Mastantuono has become a possibility, and a direct rival of the same profile and age arrives in Yan Diomande.
He will not be ready for Saturday's friendly against Fiorentina, but his goal is clear. Endrick wants to speed up his readiness and pile up as many minutes as he can in what remains of pre-season.