Olympique de Marseille dreamed of a coup. After reviving Greenwood from Spain, the Marseille club hoped to seduce Endrick, the Real Madrid nugget lacking playing time. The young Brazilian, frustrated by his role as an extra under the orders of Xabi Alonso, seemed open to a loan to relaunch his career. Enough to fuel real hopes on the Canebière… until reality catches up with OM.
OM doubled in the final straight
Despite an attractive project and an offensive game perfectly compatible with his profile, Endrick will not join Marseille. The Madrid prodigy chose another destination: Stuttgart, in the Bundesliga. The German club would have taken advantage of the close links between its coach Sebastian Hoeness and Xabi Alonso to convince Real to sell the striker on loan. A pragmatic decision for the player, eager to regain rhythm and rapid European exposure.
Endrick and his entourage had set four precise criteria: playing in a major championship, playing in a European Cup, playing attacking football and aiming for the national title. If OM ticked almost all the boxes, the European condition remained fragile. Third in their Champions League group, the Marseillais are not yet sure of extending their adventure. This vagueness would have ended up cooling the Endrick clan, anxious to integrate a team already firmly established on the European scene.
Endrick made his choice, and it's not Marseille
A missed opportunity but not illogical
At 19, Endrick wants playing time, not a gamble. Stuttgart, weakened by injuries to Demirovic and Undav, guarantees him an immediate starting place. OM, for their part, were looking for reinforcement to compensate for the absences linked to the CAN, but could not promise either regularity or continuity to a player from Madrid. A frustrating choice, but consistent for both parties.
Marseille will have to turn to other offensive avenues this winter. De Zerbi and Longoria are keeping an eye on several young profiles, but the Endrick file will have served as a lesson: to attract this type of talent, OM must once again become a stable and essential European club. In the meantime, the Bundesliga will welcome the nugget that Marseille dreamed of making shine.
