Mourinho: I wanted Endrick to stay at Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho revealed he did not want Endrick to leave Real Madrid this summer as he believes the 20-year-old has "significant talent".

Endrick was linked with another loan move away from Los Blancos in this transfer window, after spending the second half of 2025-26 with Lyon, though will remain in Mourinho's squad for the time being.

The Brazil international has scored just seven goals in 40 appearances for Madrid, though directly contributed to 16 goals (eight goals, eight assists) in 21 games for Lyon last term.

Endrick is set to miss Madrid's upcoming clash with Real Madrid as a precaution due to injury, but Mourinho believes the forward can play a key role this season.

"He’s a player I really like," Mourinho said about Endrick.

"He’s had so many, many contacts with other clubs. I didn’t want to loan him out or sell him.

"I didn’t want him to leave because I like this player so much; he has significant talent.

"I’m sure he’ll be in Carlo Ancelotti’s first [Brazil] squad. He’ll call me directly."

Endrick also missed Madrid's LaLiga opener against Espanyol, a 2-1 victory after a late winner from Carlos Espi.

Mourinho believes both Endrick and Espi can play alongside Kylian Mbappe in the Madrid frontline, as they offer different threats.

"We can see them together, or with Endrick," Mourinho responded when asked if Mbappe and Espi could work together.

"Carlos has a different profile; he was perfect for how the match against Espanyol was going. I thought Carlos could be important at that moment to suffocate the opponent."

La Real, who won the Copa del Rey last season, started their LaLiga campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Real Betis away from home.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Real Madrid – Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe has scored four goals in three LaLiga appearances against La Real.

Only against Villarreal (five) has Mbappe scored more goals in the competition (also four against Barcelona).

Real Sociedad – Mikel Oyarzabal

Oyarzabal has scored three goals in 19 LaLiga appearances against Madrid, all of them from the penalty spot.

Madrid are the opponent against whom he has played the most games in the competition without scoring a non-penalty goal.

MATCH PREDICTION – REAL MADRID WIN

Madrid have won their last six LaLiga matches against La Real, their best winning streak against them in the competition since February 2018 (W7).

Mourinho is also unbeaten in his six LaLiga matches against La Real (W5 D1); only against Espanyol (seven games - W5 D2) has he overseen more games without defeat in the competition (also six against four other teams).

Following their 2-1 victory against Espanyol on the last matchday, Madrid have the chance to win their first two LaLiga games of a season for the fourth time in the last five campaigns (2022-23, 2023-24 and 2025-26), only failing to do so in 2024-25.

However, La Real have picked up points in three of their last eight away LaLiga games against Madrid (W1 D2 L5), after losing on each of their previous nine league visits to the Estadio Bernabeu.

Nevertheless, La Real are winless in their last nine LaLiga matches (D5 L4), their worst run without a victory in the competition since a streak of 18 games between April and December 2006 (D8 L10).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Real Madrid – 65.8%

Draw – 18.9%

Real Sociedad – 15.3%