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Real Madrid's promising forward Endrick has expressed openness to another loan departure from the Spanish capital following an encouraging second half of the season with Lyon.
Endrick accumulated as many red cards as starts (one apiece) for Real Madrid under Xabi Alonso before being shipped out to the Ligue 1 club in January. Alonso has since departed the Madrid job in a far more definitive fashion, but the Brazilian attacker is fully aware that his near-term future may also lie outside the Bernabéu.
"If I need to return to Real Madrid, I'll go back happily," Endrick told CANAL+ Foot over the weekend. "If I need to go somewhere else, I'll go somewhere else."
There is no shortage of interested clubs for a 19-year-old established Brazil international who has contributed a goal or assist every 106 minutes throughout his fledgling European career. Even Premier League duo Manchester United and Arsenal have been loosely linked with the teenage sensation.
While those connections may not be the most convincing, Endrick has a wide array of possibilities available to him, especially if he shines for Brazil at this summer's World Cup.
5. Juventus
Juventus' difficulties this season have centered on finding a dependable goalscorer. The Old Lady's young winger Kenan Yıldız is the only player with more than six league goals at this late stage of the campaign. This is not due to a lack of numbers, however—the caliber of the various strikers on the club's roster is far less certain.
Jonathan David (six goals), Loïs Openda (one) and Dušan Vlahović (three) can only match Yıldız's tally of 10 Serie A goals combined. Luciano Spalletti has even resorted to deploying U.S. men's national team midfielder Weston McKennie in a forward role.
Vlahović may soon take his traditional penalty-box style elsewhere as contract extension talks continue to drag on with just weeks remaining on the Serbia international's deal. Juve could do far worse than Endrick as a more affordable and stylistically comparable replacement for Vlahović. The only obstacle to this deal is the complete absence of any concrete reports linking the two parties.
Likelihood: 1/10
4. Man Utd
Manchester United have a considerable number of areas to strengthen over the summer. Left wing, central midfield and center back all appear to rank higher in priority than adding yet another attack-minded striker.
Benjamin Šeško fits the club's profile of a raw forward with enormous potential and inconsistent output. Should United pursue a new striker, they may prefer a more seasoned option to help Šeško settle into the position. There has been speculation around a potential move for Robert Lewandowski, while former academy product Danny Welbeck has also been mentioned in the past.
One of the few factors working in Endrick's favor for a move to Manchester is the climate he would face. "Endrick really loves playing in the rain," his father once revealed.
Likelihood: 2/10
3. Arsenal
Arsenal's pursuit of a striker continues.
On the surface, Viktor Gyökeres' return of 18 goals across all competitions seems respectable enough. However, a closer look at those figures reveals a less impressive picture. The summer signing has failed to score a single non-penalty goal against any Premier League top-half side and has not even tested the goalkeeper of any team in the division's top eight.
Endrick has directly contributed to five goals across three appearances against Marseille, Monaco and Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain during his brief loan stint at Lyon.
Mikel Arteta has previously welcomed Real Madrid loanees Dani Ceballos and Martin Ødegaard to the Emirates and may be tempted to take a chance on another this summer.
Likelihood: 3/10
2. Real Madrid
As Endrick himself acknowledged, he would "happily" return to Real Madrid, the club he supported throughout his childhood.
Carlo Ancelotti recognized Endrick's ability but was forced to lean on more experienced players during his difficult time alongside the youngster last season. Alonso never afforded him an opportunity. It remains unclear who will be in charge at the Bernabéu next season, but a new manager will give Endrick a fresh opportunity to pursue his ambitions.
Likelihood: 7/10
1. Lyon
The central problem for Endrick at Real Madrid is game time. "Endrick always says that his playground is the football pitch," the striker's father told SportsCenter Brasil in April. "And at Madrid, in a sense, they took that playground away from him. All he wants is to play football."
Kylian Mbappé's standing as the undisputed first choice will always restrict Endrick's minutes, while Gonzalo García leapfrogged him in the club's hierarchy at last summer's Club World Cup. Following a brief working relationship with Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca, Endrick has established himself as a regular starter in France.
Lyon's prospects of keeping the loanee for a further year will only improve if they secure Champions League qualification. Currently sitting fourth — the final qualifying position — with three matches remaining, Lyon will likely be locked in a battle with Rennes and Marseille until the very last day.
Likelihood: 9/10