Real Madrid are reportedly close to finally securing a deal to sign Brazilian wonderkid Endrick, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The 16-year-old would join the club in the summer of 2024 once he has turned 18 and would arrive for a fee of around €60m (£51.7m) before taxes, with the transfer totalling around €70m (£60.4m) overall.
Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea were also in the hunt for the striker, but Los Blancos have pulled ahead and a deal looks close to being agreed.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained that Real Madrid are now actively working to close the deal, and a long-term contract is close to completion.
He said: “Real Madrid – and this is a big update – are set to close the Endrick deal. The conversations are progressing very well, they hope to have everything signed within December.
“Real Madrid are working on the final details of the Endrick deal. Real Madrid are ahead of Chelsea, are ahead of PSG – who have now left the race – and so Real Madrid are working actively to close the deal.
“I’m told that the agreement is really close with both Palmeiras and player. It’s a long-term deal for the player, who will join Real Madrid in 2024, but also [the fee] is €60m to Palmeiras, with taxes and bonuses it will include €70m [in] total.”
TIF Thoughts on Endrick and Real Madrid…
Although Real have all but secured the deal now, the Brazilian will remain at his club for another 18 months, with rules preventing him from joining before he is 18. This will at least give him time to develop away from the spotlight before moving to the Santiago Bernabeu once he is of age.
Given the amount of pressure that will be on his shoulders as one of the most expensive teenagers ever, perhaps this will be a blessing in disguise. The fee looks hefty, but given the hype and interest in the striker, it could be a bargain in the long run.
By the time he arrives as an 18-year-old, he may even be ready to step up as the successor to Karim Benzema, who will be 36 by the summer of 2024.
With nine goals in his first 14 senior appearances for Palmeiras, he has so far justified the extraordinary attention he has received. And after previously missing out on Neymar, perhaps Florentino Perez has finally got his hands on Brazil’s biggest gem.