Xabi Alonso explains Real Madrid's decision to send Endrick out on loan after Brazilian completes Lyon transfer

Endrick signed for Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 from Palmeiras after an impressive spell in Brazil where he won back-to-back league titles. In his debut season with Los Blancos, he made 37 appearances across all competitions, including 22 in La Liga, scoring seven goals. However, the current season has seen a dramatic reduction in playing time under Alonso. Since recovering from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for several months, Endrick featured just three times across all competitions for a total of just over 100 minutes in La Liga and Champions League, without scoring. 

The fierce competition for places with star forwards Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. has meant opportunities were scarce, with the manager often preferring Gonzalo Garcia as a back-up striker. This lack of involvement caused visible frustration for the young star, who ultimately made the decision to seek a loan move for the sake of his development, something his boss understands. 

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Alonso said: "Endrick, at this stage of his career, after coming from Brazil to Europe, needs playing time, and I understand why he made that decision and why the club wanted to invest in his development and experience in a competitive league like the French one, at a club where he'll get more minutes. If that allows him to grow as a player... Real Madrid does a great job with players who develop at other clubs and then perform well for the first team. We've seen it, and if that happens, I understand why Bobby and the club made that decision, and we'll be following him very closely, eager for him to progress and improve.

"We shouldn't just focus on the short term, but also look at the medium term and when the talks are taking place. The decision has been made and there's no going back. Endrick is there, we're following him very closely, and we'll approach the Super Cup with great confidence in the players we have."

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Endrick has earned 14 caps and scored three goals for the senior Brazil national team, but recently expressed a genuine "fear" of missing out on the tournament if he remained on the bench at Real. In an interview with Brazil legend Romario, the 19-year-old sensation said: "To be honest, what goes through my head a lot is that I'm afraid I won't be in the 2026 World Cup. Of course it’s difficult, being in the biggest club in the world, with the best players and not having the opportunity to always play. But whenever I play, I can show a bit of my game to be in the national team. I hope that next year I can be in the national team and, God willing, we will win the World Cup."

Endrick's move to Lyon, where he is expected to play a prominent role, is designed to be a temporary but vital chapter in his career. He has reportedly told everyone at Real Madrid that he will return and succeed at the club, viewing his story in Spain as far from over. 

Endrick has made an immediate off-field impact since joining, breaking the club's social media records for his announcement video. Coach Paulo Fonseca has confirmed his new signing is adapting well in training and is highly motivated, though his debut was delayed due to a registration issue and wasn’t named in the squad to face Monaco, and is now expected against Lille in the French Cup on January 11. 

Fonseca explained: "I think he is very good. He started training this week, the adaptation is going very well. He is a player we need, he is different. The whole group welcomed him. I spoke with him, he is very satisfied and we are also pleased to have him with us, with his quality. He is in good physical shape, he worked in Madrid but he is not ready to play 90 minutes. He has had a good training session, he is motivated."