The agent of Endrick has revealed the three English clubs that tried to sign the Brazilian teenager before Real Madrid snapped him up.
On Saturday, 17-year-old sensation Endrick will play on British soil for the first time when Brazil take on England at Wembley.
At 15 the young attacker caught the eye of top clubs across Europe, and the race to sign him intensified once he made his senior debut for Brazilian side Palmeiras at 16.
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In December 2022 Real Madrid announced that Endrick will join the club once he turns 18 in July 2024, with the deal reported to be worth around £52 million.
In the Spanish capital the attacker will link up with compatriots Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo, as well as young English superstar Jude Bellingham, who he will face on Saturday.
However, according to his agent, he could have easily ended up at a Premier League club.
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Speaking to The Telegraph, Frederico Pena, scouts from three top English sides flocked to France in 2022 to watch Endrick play at the Montaigu Tournament.
The youngster proved beyond doubt that he was capable of playing outside of Brazil, winning the player of the tournament award and scoring five goals in four games as Brazil won the competition for the first time since 1984.
"That was when the world really sat up and took notice,” said Pena.
"People in football already knew about him, but that’s when all of the top clubs came in, Manchester City, Liverpool, Paris St-Germain, Chelsea and, of course, Real Madrid."
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Of the three Premier League clubs, Chelsea pushed the hardest to sign Endrick, and at one stage looked his most likely destination ahead of Real Madrid.
In October 2022 the London club invited the teenager's parent to visit their Cobham training ground, where they met Thiago Silva, Jorginho and Cesar Azpilicueta.
According to The Telegraph, Chelsea even found the family a local church they would be able to attend.
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However, negotiations stalled between Chelsea and Palmeiras as the former were reluctant to pay a significant fee for a player who wouldn't be able to play for them for almost two years.
Madrid had made a similar deal with Pena to sign Vinicius Jr from Flamengo five years earlier, so the Spanish side stepped in and reached an agreement.
"I think Real decided that they were never going to miss another talent like Vini or Endrick after Neymar moved to Barcelona," said Pena.
"Maybe there is a lesson for Chelsea because they were in front at the start."
Topics: Real Madrid, Endrick, Chelsea, Premier League, Vinicius Jr
Alex Brotherton