Barcelona have reportedly decided to withdraw their interest in Brazilian teenage sensation Endrick, who is also wanted by arch-rivals Real Madrid and Chelsea.
Brazilian sensation Endrick is in high demand, but Barcelona could be frustrated in their attempts to sign the 16-year-old striker from Palmeiras. According to MARCA, the Catalan giants might not submit an offer to sign the Brazilian prodigy and are prepared to back out of the transfer race altogether due to their ongoing financial woes.
The Blaugrana feel that they cannot afford the young Brazilian at the moment and are backing out of the pursuit. Palmeiras are expected to want at least €60 million for his services, which is simply too much for a club in Barcelona’s financial predicament unless Joan Laporta decides to activate another lever.
The 16-year-old is touted as the next gem of Brazilian football and has already shone since making his senior debut with Palmeiras after impressing in the youth ranks. He has found the back of the net three times and has provided an assist in seven appearances and 306 minutes of action. Meanwhile, Endrick scored six goals in seven Copinha outings.
Those are incredible stats for someone who is just 16 years old. And it is not hard to see why almost all of the elite clubs in Europe like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Chelsea are chasing after his signature.
It had been thought that the Blaugrana were leading the battle for his signature after Endrick’s agents travelled to Barcelona a couple of months ago. More recently, Xavi Hernandez himself claimed that he has presented the Barcelona “project” to the player and his father.
However, as stated by MARCA, Barcelona are not confident about signing Endrick. Xavi would have played an instrumental role in luring him to Camp Nou. But the Barcelona boss is not considered sufficient in this situation.
The Blaugrana are in no financial position to sanction such an outlay this January and are hopeful to seal a deal in principle in advance of the future move in 2024. It remains to be seen whether their efforts will bear any fruit.
As things stand, it is very unlikely, with reports claiming that Paris Saint-Germain have had a €45 million offer rejected by Palmeiras. The Brazilian outfit are currently demanding €60 million for him up front, even though the player is not eligible to move to Europe before he is 18.
There have also been rumours coming out of the Spanish capital, with Los Blancos really pushing Endrick’s case. Real Madrid have shown a willingness to take a risk to poach the biggest talents from Brazil early on their development curve in recent years, as shown by the signings of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes, and Reinier Jesus. However, this one seems like a bridge too far given the finances involved.
Chelsea, meanwhile, remain in discussions to sign the Brazilian youngster. The Blues recently hosted the player and his family at their Cobham training base, where they met with Thiago Silva as the club attempted to persuade him to join them.
It will be very interesting to see where Endrick heads from here. It will not be surprising if a team finally decides to break the bank to secure his services sooner rather than later.
