Who is this boy called Endrick?
Endrick Felipe Moreire De Sousa is a 16-year-old Brazilian striker who plays for the Brazilian top side, Palmeiras.
He signed for Palmeiras youth team in 2011 and he has caught the eye with his heavenly performances since his move to the Brazilian side.
He scored an astonishing 165 goals in 169 games for Palmeiras youth team but he didn’t make his debut for the senior team till October 6, 2022. He came on as a substitute in Palmeiras‘s 4-0 triumph over Coritiba.
He holds the record for the second youngest goal scorer ever in Brazil’s first division for the brace he scored in Palmeira’s 3-1 victory over Athletic Paranense.
His record of 165 goals in 169 games shows how devastating he is in front of goal and it is no surprise he is highly sought after.
Now, enough of the super story, why did Real Madrid and others battle for the signature of the wonder kid?
The reason is as simple as the answer to one plus one.
It is to prevent further rip-off by Palmeiras or other clubs in the future for a guy that has the talent of becoming one of the best strikers in the nearest future.
Real Madrid which has won the signature of the teenage sensation will reportedly pay £60 million for Endrick, this is a small fee for these top teams when you compare what he could potentially cost if he is allowed to continue his growth with Palmeiras or elsewhere.
We have seen big teams pay a premium fee for young players with huge potential in time past, Mbappe’s move to Paris Saint-German from Monaco and Neymar’s move from Santos to Barcelona comes to mind.
Real Madrid, PSG and other top teams in Europe are beginning to learn from their past mistakes and catch these players young.
It is more financially prudent to get these youngsters with relatively cheap money and watch them actualize themselves rather than paying a hefty fee for them in the future.
For instance, imagine how much would have been saved by Liverpool, Manchester City and others if they had gotten Jude Bellingham before now.
While it is not certain that Endrick might go on to become a world beater, it is less risky to buy him now and sell him for peanuts if he doesn’t actualize his full potential rather than buying him for a hefty fee in two or three years and watch him flop.
It is the risk the top teams are ready to take now and it will be the norm for years to come.
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