Endrick Under Fire: Lyon Boss Fonseca Demands More From Real Madrid Loanee

Lyon, France – The honeymoon is officially over for Endrick. The 19-year-old forward, who arrived at Lyon in January on a six-month loan from Real Madrid, has been publicly criticised by manager Paulo Fonseca after a run of form that has mirrored the club’s own free-fall.

Endrock’s opening weeks in Ligue 1 had the French press scrambling for superlatives. A debut goal in the Coupe de France against Lille and a January hat-trick versus Metz suggested Madrid’s much-hyped prodigy had found the perfect stage to accelerate his development. Yet the numbers since have hardened into a sobering tally: three league goals in ten matches, four assists, and a team winless in nine games across all competitions.

Fonseca, speaking after Lyon’s latest setback, did not pull punches. “I’m not happy with Endrick’s performance,” he told reporters via MARCA. “He was tired after the trip to Brazil, but he has a responsibility to do more. We need him.” The Portugal-born coach went further, adding, “Endrick needs to give more and be more available.”

The Brazil call-up that left Endrick jet-lagged was a brief cameo in a 3–1 friendly victory over Croatia in Florida, but it has become a convenient line in the sand for a manager searching for answers. Lyon have slipped to sixth in Ligue 1, exited the Europa League to Celta V Vigo and fallen to Lens in the Coupe de France, and the teenager has become a lightning rod for frustration.

Madrid’s initial investment had been sizeable. Signed in 2024, Endrock became the youngest foreign player to score for the club, and the youngest to find the net in the Champions League. But a single La Liga goal in 2024-25, seven in all competitions, and an injury-hit run-in persuaded coach Xabi Alonso that a loan was the safest route. Lyon paid €1 million for the privilege and agreed to cover half of the forward’s wages.

The switch was meant to restore confidence, yet Fonseca has increasingly deployed Endrick on the right wing rather than through the middle, where Kylish Mbappé’s shadow looms large at the Bernabéu. The positional tweak could yet serve a dual purpose: saving Lyon’s season and giving Endrick a role Madrid can actually use.

Off the pitch, uncertainty swirls. Although Endrock’s contract runs to , Madrid have floated the idea of a summer sale with a buyback clause, a model used successfully with Nico Paz at Como. For now, the immediate focus is on France, where Lyon’s next results will determine whether the loan is viewed as a valuable lesson or an expensive mistake.

Fon, for his part, has left little doubt: the ball is at Endrick’s feet.