Liverpool are poised to make a move for Real Madrid starlet Endrick, according to sources in Brazil.
South American football expert Tim Vickery told talkSPORT a substantial bid from the Reds for the 20-year-old striker is being rumoured.
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Is an Endrick exit on the cards?
Endrick joined Real Madrid from Brazilian club Palmeiras in 2024 after a £51m deal was initially agreed in 2022, but he saw his opportunities limited last term and he ended up spending the second half of the season on loan at Lyon.
So, could he be on his way to the Premier League before the end of the transfer window?
Vickery said on Hawksbee and Jacobs: “Well, it’s interesting that we’ve just been hearing about the victory of the lost king – probably everyone paying tribute to Kevin Keegan this weekend at Liverpool, and the loss of Mo Salah.
“Is Endrick going to be an attempt at the found king? Well, we shall see. I have my doubts.
“Not least because – and this is getting a lot of traction in Brazil at the moment…– Liverpool are apparently preparing an offer – big-money offer – but the fee that’s being reported that Liverpool want to offer is less than Real Madrid for him a couple of years ago.
“Now, he hasn’t been a failure at all, and the problem with Real Madrid is he went to a club that didn’t need him – but his numbers even with Real Madrid aren’t bad.
“And he did very well on loan with Lyon, so there’s no way that he can be worth less than he was as an 18-year-old when Real Madrid bought him. So, that is, I think, problem number one.
“How high are Liverpool prepared to go? And would Real Madrid want to sell him to a competitor in the Champions League?”
Endrick’s surprising idol
Vickery also pondered whether Endrick’s admission of idolising a Manchester United icon would be well-received by Liverpool fans.
He continued: “One possible problem is, you know who one of his idols is? This is going to shock you; oh, I’m looking forward to this.
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“Endrick, 20 years of age, one of his idols is… Ta-da! Bobby Charlton. Yes, yes, Bobby Charlton.
“You remember he scored a goal for Brazil. He scored the winner against England at Wembley just over two years ago…and he was saying, talking to Brazilian media afterwards, ‘I’m delighted to have scored a goal in the place where, the very stadium where Bobby Charlton [starred for England and Man United].
“Is that going to go down well with the Kop and the Annie [Anfield] Road faithful?”
Vickery also highlighted Endrick’s need to play in a front two, a system new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola hasn’t tended to deploy.
“I don’t know,” he went on. “He is a wonderfully talented player – really, really good player – but he does suffer, I think, a little bit from a question which I think affects a lot of players in his position – which is what exactly is his position?
“Can we go back to Kevin Keegan – [John] Toshack and Keegan? You know where you stood for the old 4-4-2 – big man in, a little man in; the little man is a second striker.
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“I think ideally, he’s probably that second striker, but a lot of these new-fangled modern-day formations, it’s quite hard for that old second striker in a 4-4-2 to kind of define himself.”
Liverpool look ahead to big kick-off
Liverpool have so far only made two signings as they prepare for the start of the Iraola era, bringing in centre-back Jeremy Jacquet in a deal that was arranged in January as well as winger Victor Munoz.
However, the Reds continue to be linked with a huge deal for Paris Saint-Germain and France star Bradley Barcola.
talkSPORT also understands they recently had an offer to sign Brighton winger Yankubah Minteh rejected.
Liverpool kick off the new Premier League campaign away to Newcastle on Sunday.
