Mourinho shuts down Endrick exit: 'Anyone who wants him will have to fight me'

Endrick's future at Real Madrid has been settled by his own manager. José Mourinho addressed the rumors linking the Brazilian forward with a move away from the club in January and made it clear that neither a loan nor a permanent transfer is on the table. At 20 years old, the attacker has played just four official minutes this season, a figure that has sparked interest from clubs such as Aston Villa and several Italian sides.

• Mourinho completely rules out Endrick leaving Real Madrid in the winter transfer window.
• The Brazilian has only four minutes of playing time this campaign, but an injury disrupted his start.
• Aston Villa, Roma and Milan are among the clubs tracking the forward closely.
• The Portuguese coach insists Endrick will succeed at Real Madrid and does not need a loan spell.

Mourinho responds to clubs monitoring Endrick

The Portuguese manager was blunt when assessing the interest from the Premier League and Serie A in his player. In an interview with Brazilian television ahead of the European clash between Roma and Real Madrid, Mourinho stated that anyone expecting a move in January should forget about it. His message left no room for interpretation.

Forget it. If any interested club is waiting for Endrick, they should sit down, because they will get tired of waiting.

The coach explained that the Brazilian's limited involvement is not down to a lack of trust, but rather a series of circumstances. Endrick carried an injury that kept him sidelined for more than a month, just as Mourinho was arriving on the bench. Since his recovery, the calendar and unexpected setbacks have prevented him from getting regular minutes.

The injury that stalled Endrick's breakthrough at Real Madrid

Mourinho revealed that the forward was out of action for four to five weeks due to a physical problem. That absence coincided with his arrival at the club and stopped him from evaluating the player properly from day one. Once Endrick recovered, the coach held direct conversations with him to explain the situation and reassure him that he is part of his plans.

The Portuguese admitted he has had very few chances to bring him on in matches. The team's results and the tactical demands of each game have weighed more heavily than the desire to give him playing time. However, his message insists that patience will be rewarded.

The Villarreal game: the opportunity that slipped away

Mourinho revealed a specific episode that sums up Endrick's bad luck this season. Against Villarreal, the initial plan was to bring on the Brazilian and Bernardo in the second half. Everything changed with Vinicius' red card, which forced the coach to rethink his approach on the spot.

Real Madrid's goal came in that context of numerical disadvantage, and Mourinho chose to secure the result with different profiles instead of sticking to his original idea. The coach defended his decision from the bench's logic: with ten players and a lead on the scoreboard, priorities shift completely.

Endrick, a present and future bet for Mourinho

Far from seeing him as a bargaining chip, the Portuguese coach places the young forward among the important assets of his project. His praise went beyond rhetoric: he spoke of a player with enormous potential and a footballer he adores for his qualities. In his analysis, there are no arguments to justify an exit.

He is a player I adore, a player I love. A player with great potential and someone who is very important for us.

Mourinho went further and anticipated that any club intending to negotiate will first have to face his firmness. He believes Endrick does not need a loan to grow as a footballer and that his success will come while wearing the white shirt. The message shuts down the speculation growing in England and Italy.

What is at stake for Endrick in the coming months

The Brazilian faces a crucial stretch to prove that his commitment to Real Madrid remains intact. With his coach's public backing as a guarantee, Endrick will look to reverse his limited involvement and gain prominence in a squad full of stars in his position. The competition is fierce, but the path now goes through convincing Mourinho in every training session.

Interested clubs will remain on alert, but Real Madrid's stance appears immovable. Neither Aston Villa nor the Italian sides will be given any room to negotiate in January. Endrick will stay in white and fight for the minutes that have eluded him so far.