Jude Bellingham could end €45m wonderkid’s Real Madrid career

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Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Jude Bellingham could play a role in ending the Real Madrid career of Endrick should Jose Mourinho choose to go through with a plan he has been brewing.

Endrick’s future at Real Madrid has been placed in doubt for some time. While Mourinho pushed for the young Brazilian to remain at the club this summer and not depart on loan, it appears the 20-year-old is having some second thoughts.

A month after the close of the transfer market, he has been restricted to only four minutes of competitive action this season, and while this can be partially explained by a muscle injury during the summer, it nevertheless represents a source of concern.

Endrick is already poised to consider his situation at Real Madrid should he continue to be overlooked, AS reports.

There are no shortage of suitors for the forward either. According to the Spanish source, Roma are interested in signing him having seen a loan move breakdown in the summer.

Bellingham to be preferred in the No.9 role?

Bellingham comes into the story at this point because Mourinho is considering using him as a false 9 while Kylian Mbappe is injured.

Mbappe picked up an issue while playing with France, and though the knee injury is not as serious as first thought, it did prompt the striker to make a controversial trip back to Paris, which has attracted criticism.

Even if his absence is not as protracted as first feared, Mourinho’s selection during this period could have a big impact on Endrick’s future.

Mourinho’s slap in the face to Endrick

While the natural option might be picking between the former Palmeiras youth and Carlos Espi, who has two goals in 24 competitive minutes this season, the Portuguese is weighing up the possibility of using Bellingham in a striking role instead.

This might prove the most effective short-term option for the team given Bellingham’s all-round attributes, but it would be a massive blow for Endrick’s hopes of establishing himself at the Bernabeu.

He has waited patiently in the wings of the club for two years to get an extended change, having arrived in a €47.5 million deal from his homeland in 2024, but he has been limited to only 41 total appearances in that time. Indeed, he spent the second half of last season on loan at Ligue 1 side Lyon in a bid to get more game time.

Having gathered that experience in France, he would have expected a more prominent role in Madrid – particularly when Mbappe is missing.

Should Mourinho follow through with his plan and select Bellingham in front of him, it would be a strong signal that January will be a vital point to assess his options – and that leaving may be for the benefit of his career.