Liverpool did what they could to sign Endrick this season, according to one journalist. The Reds lost out to Real Madrid.
This comes from journalist Ben Jacobs on Twitter. He held a short Q and A where fans asked him about the ongoing matters in the transfer market.
One person asked him an interesting question: what was the most surprising deal that nearly happened? For Jacobs, it was a deal involving Liverpool and teenage phenomenon Endrick.
“It wasn’t this window… but Endrick to Liverpool,” said Jacobs. “They were working on it relatively strongly with a view to 2024.”
Liverpool transfer news: Endrick
Reports linking Liverpool with Endrick actually date back over a year now. Yahoo Sports initially reported it, claiming the Reds were one of several elite clubs chasing the player.
Sky Sports then followed that up by saying something similar, as did journalist Jorge Nicola. It wasn’t any great surprise, given Endrick was building a reputation in Brazil as potentially the next big thing.
Liverpool seemed eager to sign him, much as they were with Rodrygo Goes before him. Only, Endrick quickly proved to everyone that he really was the next big thing out of Brazilian football. His reputation absolutely skyrocketed.
That was thanks to displays at the 2022 Copinha. It’s Brazil’s biggest youth tournament, showcasing players under 20. Endrick, at just 15, finished as top scorer and Best Player while Palmeiras won the trophy.
He also scored a truly phenomenal bicycle kick from outside the box.
And so the race from Endrick went a bit crazy, with all sorts of mad figures being thrown around. Teams were no longer offering the usual figures for a youth player. Instead, there was talk of £50m.
In the end, Real Madrid completed a deal that sees Endrick join them in 2024. It’ll initially cost them £35m but it could rise far higher, per Marca.
Liverpool missed their chances, then, for what would have been an incredibly exciting signing. The Reds were never paying that kind of money for a 16-year-old, after all.