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Man United Eye Endrick as Winter Window Looms

By Sports Desk · 2026-09-16 · 2 min read
A green football pitch with white boundary lines and a goal net in the background
Illustration: Tradingbird

With Manchester United stuck in 13th place, the door to Real Madrid’s Brazilian striker is swinging wide open.

The noise of the crowd fades into a dull hum as the scoreboard flashes another goalless draw. Manchester United sits in 13th place, a shadow of the side that dazzled under Michael Carrick last season. Four games, one win. The pitch feels less like a stage and more like a trap, the grass slick with unspent energy and unanswered questions.

They poured over £150 million into the midfield, stitching together Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Carlos Baleba with the precision of surgeons. Yet the attack remains blunt, missing the finishing touch that could have broken the deadlock against Manchester City or Hull. The silence in the stands is louder than the roar, a physical weight pressing down on the players as they look toward the January window with desperate hope.

A striker left on the bench

Across the channel, in the sterile white tunnels of the Santiago Bernabeu, Endrick feels the cold bite of irrelevance. The Brazilian, who arrived with the promise of a golden era, has been reduced to a four-minute cameo this season. Muscle injuries stole the opening weeks, but the real injury is the hierarchy. Yan Diomande’s arrival has locked the door further, pushing the 20-year-old deeper into the shadows behind Rodrygo, Arda Guler, and Brahim Diaz.

Jose Mourinho convinced him to stay, citing pre-season form and the recovery timeline of the veteran striker. But the reality on the training ground is stark. Mbappe and Vinicius Junior command the spotlight, leaving Endrick with scraps. He took the manager’s word, believing in the plan, but the plan has crumbled. The ball bounces away, the pass goes wide, and the silence in the locker room speaks volumes about his current standing.

Lyon proved the talent exists

Last January, when the situation looked equally grim, Endrick left. He landed at Lyon for six months, and the difference was electric. Eight goals and eight assists in 21 appearances were not just numbers; they were proof of life. The Ligue 1 stage allowed him to breathe, to shoot, to decide. That spell carried him into the World Cup with confidence, a stark contrast to the hesitation he now displays in Madrid.

AS reports that Endrick was close to sealing a move to AS Roma this summer, sensing the lack of opportunity at the Bernabeu. Mourinho intervened, asking him to stay. But the Brazilian knows the script. If things do not change by the winter break, he will reassess. The door remains open, not just for a loan, but for a permanent switch to a club that needs his firepower more than it needs his patience.

United’s desperate need for goals

Manchester United has scored only 11 goals in five games this season. The attack is toothless, lacking the killer instinct that could turn draws into wins. With the league table pressing in, the Red Devils are watching the winter market with intensity. Endrick is not just a name on a list; he is a solution to a specific, painful problem.

According to Yahoo Sports, the chance to sign him is no longer a fantasy but a realistic prospect. The timing is perfect: United is struggling, Endrick is stranded, and the January window is approaching like a storm. If the Brazilian leaves Madrid, United will be there, ready to catch the ball before it hits the ground.

Based on reporting by Yahoo Sports, compiled by the Tradingbird desk.

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