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Real Madrid are once again facing a familiar dilemma from last summer, needing to decide between Gonzalo García and Endrick as their second-choice striker heading into next season.
Gonzalo ultimately came out on top in 2025–26, becoming Xabi Alonso's preferred option after a standout Club World Cup run lifted him from Castilla anonymity to first-team prominence. The young Spaniard cemented his role as Kylian Mbappé's deputy, nudging Endrick further down the depth chart and eventually out on loan to Lyon.
The Brazilian has been a revelation in Ligue 1 since his January arrival, however, and is now poised to return to the Bernabéu at season's end, determined to prove he belongs in the starting lineup ahead of Gonzalo in the club's hierarchy.
Retaining both strikers makes little sense for Real Madrid, given there will barely be sufficient playing time for one of them, let alone both. On top of that, there is growing transfer interest in both Endrick and Gonzalo that the club could capitalize on this summer.
The key question then becomes: Which No. 9 earns the right to remain at the Bernabéu?
Gonzalo's Dream Season Quickly Became a Nightmare
Following such an impressive showing in the United States last summer, Gonzalo's future at Real Madrid appeared bright. However, Mbappé's return drastically reduced his chances to make an impact.
He managed just one start across the opening four months of the campaign, regularly restricted to brief substitute appearances in matches that were already settled. By December, Gonzalo had accumulated only 13 appearances in 2025–26, before Mbappé once again found himself sidelined through injury.
The Castilla graduate suddenly found himself leading the line for Los Blancos, contributing five goals and one assist across eight outings. Gonzalo's intelligent movement, clinical finishing and tireless work ethic were all evident, but once Álvaro Arbeloa assumed the managerial role, it became apparent he did not share Alonso's confidence in the forward.
Even during Mbappé's extended absences, Gonzalo struggled to force his way into the starting XI. Arbeloa instead favored a front pairing of Vinicius Junior and Brahim Díaz. In Los Blancos' first six fixtures following the March international break, the 22-year-old managed just six minutes of action.
When Arbeloa finally handed him a meaningful chance against Espanyol, introducing him in the 53rd minute, Gonzalo wasted no time in setting up Vinicius Jr's winning goal by the 55th minute—a timely reminder of what he can contribute when given more than a handful of stoppage-time minutes.
Endrick Changes the Narrative in France
Ironically, Endrick would likely have welcomed even Gonzalo's limited minutes during the first half of the season. After recovering from injury, the Brazilian was left out for eight straight matches, and by the close of December, he had featured just three times.
Allowing Endrick to stagnate on the Bernabéu bench was serving neither the player nor the club, so the striker moved to Lyon on loan in the January transfer window and immediately made his mark. Across 19 appearances for the French club, the teenager racked up eight goals and seven assists.
Endrick's powerful left foot and physical presence were on display week in, week out in Ligue 1, though he still showed traces of the rawness and inconsistency expected of a player who is only 19 years old.
Despite those rough edges, Endrick completely rewrote the story surrounding his career after a quiet start at Real Madrid. All of a sudden, he looked like a genuine asset the Spanish club had sorely lacked in the second half of 2025–26, one they will be eager to welcome back this summer.
Gonzalo vs. Endrick: Who Is the Better Investment for Real Madrid?
It's tempting to point to Endrick's surging value and select the Brazil international as the player Real Madrid should retain this summer. It certainly helps that he shares a strong bond with several of the dressing room's biggest names, including Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham.
But the real case for keeping Endrick at the Bernabéu rests on his enormous untapped potential. The teenager possesses an abundance of talent that, when properly nurtured and developed, could eventually make him one of the finest strikers on the planet.
And if there is one thing Real Madrid excel at, it is transforming young Brazilian forwards into world-class stars. Consider what might have happened had the club abandoned Vinicius Jr during his difficult early days, when Karim Benzema was so openly critical of him.
Gonzalo, rather harshly, becomes collateral damage in all of this. The young Spaniard is more than deserving of his place at the club, but his development will be better served elsewhere, at a side that can offer him the consistent minutes and starts required to elevate his game.
Furthermore, there was already firm interest in Gonzalo last summer and again this winter, and that attention will persist come the end of the season. AS report that Real Madrid believe they can command €60 million ($70.2 million) for the striker—a figure too attractive to ignore given that he would likely play second fiddle to Endrick, who is himself already behind Mbappé in the pecking order.
Los Blancos could also include one of their signature buy-back clauses in any deal, keeping the possibility of a future return alive should they come to regret the decision.