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Endrick’s time in Ligue 1 is coming to an end as Olympique Lyonnais officially bid farewell to the Brazilian teenager.
Despite exceptional performances that left the French public wanting more, the Real Madrid loanee is returning to the Santiago Bernabéu for the next chapter of his career, as Lyon’s head of recruitment confirmed this weekend.
The recruiting manager confirms his departure
Lyon’s head of recruitment, Matthieu Louis-Jean, has confirmed that Endrick will return to Madrid this summer, ending his impressive five-month stay in France.
The 19-year-old forward joined Lyon in January on a short-term basis with no option to buy, and while the club are delighted with his impact, financial and contractual realities mean a permanent or extended stay is not an option.
Speaking to the press after Lyon’s last match of the season, beaten 4-0 at home against Lens, Louis-Jean raised the possibility of keeping the Brazilian star.
“Yes, we would like to keep him, but at the moment it seems very unlikely,” he admitted.
“It makes you want to extend his contract. Is it possible? That’s another matter. It’s been a very good loan for Endrick, he’s had a very good time here. He’s been surprising, surprising in the way he’s adapted. He already speaks French, which is incredible. He’s a good boy.”
An immediate impact in Ligue 1
Endrick’s statistics during his brief stay in the Rhône region speak for themselves.
In just 21 appearances in all competitions, the Brazilian teenager has recorded eight goals and eight assists, proving to be one of the most productive players in the league so far this year.
Louis-Jean is full of praise for the youngster’s contribution to the team’s rise to strength at the end of the season.
“He gave us a lot in a very short time. He delivered what we expected from him. He’s a young player who will improve, and I hope he goes to the World Cup and has a good World Cup.
It was a good time together. Now, will this continue? Today it’s over, yes.”
Personal feelings and faith
The player himself had previously expressed his happiness at Groupama Stadium, leaving the door ajar to a potential return if circumstances permitted.
After a recent victory against Rennes, Endrick spoke about his future with serenity, putting his professional career in the hands of a higher power.
His connection with the Lyon supporters was evident during his last substitution against Lens, where he was greeted with a standing ovation.
Looking back on his time in France, Endrick previously said: “I’m taking things one day at a time. Today was great, I’m very happy with it. I’m very happy here, there’s a good team, good staff, good teammates.
“I’m doing very well, I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m still with God. Whatever God tells me, I’ll do it. If I have to stay in Lyon, go to Madrid, I’ll do what God tells me. I’ll wait to see what God tells me. But I’m very happy.”
Preparations for the Lyon Champions League
With Endrick’s departure, Lyon must now look ahead to a busy summer and the challenge of the Champions League qualifying rounds.
After securing fourth place in Ligue 1, the club should start the next campaign very early.
Louis-Jean confirmed that the recruitment team is already working alongside manager Paulo Fonseca to identify replacements and strengthen the squad for the European stage.
“We anticipate it, we have already started working,” he said. “It’s going to be complicated because the high-level matches are coming very quickly. We have already started working with Paulo (Fonseca) and Benjamin (Charier) on the players who could join us.
“We will digest this season, which has been very good for us; we are proud of what we have accomplished.
FIFA World Cup 2026: how to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live on FOX (70) and FS1 (34), with each game streamed live and on-demand in the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, will be broadcast in prime time on FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opening match between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will be streamed for free on Tubi, along with the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).
