Paulo Fonseca Shares Insights on the Endrick Transfer Rumors

The transfer window is already active for Lyon. After being closely watched by the DNCG in recent windows, the club, under president Michele Kang, made smart recruitment moves this summer of 2025. Players like Tyler Morton, Dominik Greif, Pavel Sulc, Adam Karabec, Afonso Moreira, Ruben Kluivert, and Martin Satriano have all joined the team. Rachid Ghezzal (free agent) and Hans Hateboer (joker) also signed on after the summer market closed. These strategic moves were orchestrated by the recruitment team led by Benjamin Charrier, who aimed to bring in talents that could fit well both on and off the pitch. However, as noted by Matthieu Louis-Jean, the team faced challenges in recruiting an additional striker after the departure of Georges Mikautadze. Despite this setback, Olympique Lyonnais plans to address it in January. They have already begun making advances to strengthen their attack, particularly in light of Malick Fofana’s absence for at least three months. Recently, ESPN reported that OL is pursuing Endrick, with our sources confirming this information. The opportunity is significant, as the 19-year-old Brazilian, who joined Real Madrid a year ago, has not had much playing time in Spain under coach Xabi Alonso (0 minutes played this season).

Initially resistant to leaving, the former Palmeiras player has now expressed interest in Lyon as the club that could guarantee him regular match time ahead of the World Cup. It seems unlikely that his situation at Madrid will change soon, although he has not ruled out staying or considering other clubs, according to UOL. On Friday, Xabi Alonso was clear in his comments about Endrick: “I wish he had played more. The circumstances are right; he trains well, but those circumstances need to remain in place.” However, Kylian Mbappé plays in every match, leaving little opportunity for others like Gonzalo Garcia to shine. Meanwhile, Endrick remains patient. In Lyon, the focus is on taking advantage of this situation. In a press conference on Friday, coach Paulo Fonseca addressed the topic directly. He stated, “I don’t speak about players who are not here. My goal is to have good players. All quality players are welcome.” This message was likely received by Endrick and his team.