Endrick arrived at Real Madrid with a ton of hype, but struggled to hit the ground running as a teenager. They found him a loan to Lyon last winter to develop, and that couldn’t have possibly gone better.
Please enjoy a sizzle reel.
While Endrick has previously played most of his minutes as a center forward, it’s looking increasingly like most coaches evaluate him as lacking the physicality to operate as a lone No. 9 at Champions League level. But he’s reinventing himself as an extremely attacking right winger, almost playing as a wide striker, and his stats are Salah-like. We’ll get into those shortly, but real quick, a bit of business.
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So, Endrick. Jose Mourinho does not see him as a key part of his plans at Madrid this season, but club management knows what they have in the youngster, and would like to kick the can down the road. They’re seeking a loan with no purchase option this window, and have several suitors, most notably Aston Villa and Roma. Personally, I think that just about every team a notch down from contenders to win CL should be interested.
He might not offer much defensively, but going forward, Endrick is a guy who does everything.
This is pretty awesome shot volume from a wide forward who didn’t get a preseason with his team and parachuted into the squad in January, with 3 goals off through balls.
And his playmaking was sick too. Yes, he was quite lucky to get 7 assists from 3.24 xG assisted, but you can’t argue with the assist locations. He got the ball into dangerous areas for his teammates consistently.
For a 19-year-old, on a new team, in a new position, these are eye-popping numbers and highlights. Madrid are correct to not want to sell yet, and if I was Villa or Roma, I’d be on the phone all day every day trying to close the deal. It stinks that you’re only getting a season of him, but for teams at that level, one season of Endrick’s production at reasonable wages and no big loan fee is a steal.
More transfer rumours
Can you believe we got a straight swap? In this economy? Brennan Johnson and Dwight McNeil have switched teams, and I understand the move from Everton’s perspective a little more than Palace’s. While Johnson is a limited player, I think Everton were lacking a box-crashing, all I know is close range shots kind of winger. I think McNeil’s had some great outings as the most advanced midfielder in a 4-3-3, but I’m not sure he fits neatly into any role in the 3-4-3 Palace are expected to play.
Deals I get a lot more for Palace are their pursuit of Lamine Camara, a very talented young defensive midfielder, and Evann Guessand, who hasn’t quite worked out at Villa. Guessand’s game should work a lot better as an inside forward in Palace’s formation than anywhere in a standard 4-3-3.
After spending hundreds of millions of pounds over the last two windows, Arsenal would probably like to recoup some money from sales, and they’re being linked to deals for almost all of their non-locked in first choice players. I saw fresh stories about the potential sales of Martin Zubimendi, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus today, but perhaps the most surprising one was the report that Myles Lewis-Skelly could be sold. Arsenal fans, could you stomach seeing him in a Man United or Chelsea shirt?
Also there’s reporting that Arsenal are now back in on Bradley Barcola, but I suspect that is mostly about his agent trying to get Liverpool to move their ass.
Tottenham are in negotiations to sell Djed Spence to Inter Milan for a very reasonable £26m. The fee seems a bit low, but if he’s comfortably behind Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie on the depth chart, his value won’t be increasing. Seems like a decent move for all parties, though I’m surprised a Premier League club isn’t swooping in to offer much more.
Spurs are also accelerating their push for a striker due to another reported injury to Dominic Solanke, and Folarin Balogun has entered the chat. The American is coming off a bit of a roller-coaster season with Monaco, but ultimately a successful one. He’d make Spurs better. I like triangle goals.
For 2 years now, we’ve been shooting down every Dusan Vlahovic to the Premier League rumour because he makes too much money and isn’t very good. And now he appears to be heading to his spiritual home: Besiktas!
Nottingham Forest have locked up the transfer of Sporting CP center back Ousmane Diomande for £34m, a relative bargain for a 22-year-old with elite athletic tools. However, he comes with the major caveat that he is not a very good passer, which is what scared off bigger clubs despite repeated links and glowing scouting reports. I think he was well worth the gamble, and should be a good fit at the center of a back 3.
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