Real Madrid ‘regret’ letting teenage superstar leave on loan last month

Madrid – Real Madrid will take on Valencia tonight with Kylian Mbappé as their lone elite forward, an injury-and-suspension crisis that has sharpened focus on a decision made only weeks ago: the loan exit of 18-year-old striker Endrick to Lyon.

The Brazilian prodigy was allowed to leave the Spanish capital last month after coaching staff, then led by Xabi Alonso, concluded he would struggle for minutes. Negotiations with the French club were fast-tracked, the deal sealed with Alonso’s consent, and Endrick departed before the international break. Within days, Real Madrid and Alonso parted ways, leaving the hierarchy to reassess a choice that now looks ill-timed.

According to a report in Diario AS, internal regret has set in. Club sources acknowledge that Endrick’s potential was well known and that greater patience could have integrated him into the first-team picture at a moment when attacking depth is suddenly non-existent. Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham are all unavailable against Valencia, spotlighting the teenager’s absence.

Since arriving in Ligue 1, Endrick has scored five goals and supplied two assists in rapid succession, underlining the immediacy of his impact. His momentum was stalled this weekend when he received a red card, triggering a suspension, yet Lyon expect him to return with the same vigor that has marked his early weeks in France.

Real Madrid retain Endrick’s rights and expect him back for the 2025-26 campaign, but officials now view the remainder of this season as a missed opportunity born of short-term planning. With only Mbappé left to shoulder the goal-scoring burden, the club must navigate the spring without a player they now believe could have contributed when needed most.

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