In a surprising turn of events, the planned season-long loan move for Real Madrid’s teenage sensation, Endrick, to fellow La Liga side Real Sociedad has reportedly fallen through at the eleventh hour.
The 19-year-old Brazilian international was understood to be ready to make the move to San Sebastián for the 2025–26 campaign. A loan was widely seen as the perfect step for his development, allowing him to gain a full season of consistent, top-flight European experience rather than sitting on the bench in Madrid.
However, according to renowned journalist Arancha Rodríguez, the deal collapsed unexpectedly at the last minute for reasons that are not yet entirely clear. This leaves both the player and the club in an unforeseen situation just weeks before the new season is set to begin.
As a result of the collapse, Endrick is now set to remain at Real Madrid for the upcoming season. This significantly complicates the club’s squad planning, as it was recently reported that Madrid had “too many attackers” and were actively looking to trim their squad to balance both playing time and the wage bill.
Instead of being a guaranteed starter at Real Sociedad, Endrick will now have to fight for what will likely be very limited minutes in a star-studded forward line that includes the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Jr., and Rodrygo. While training with such elite talent is beneficial, a lack of regular game time could hamper his rapid development.
The collapse of this seemingly perfect loan move is a significant setback for both Endrick’s short-term career path and Real Madrid’s immediate squad management plans. All eyes will now be on manager Xabi Alonso to see how he integrates the prodigious but inexperienced talent into his crowded attacking ranks.