Mourinho sacrifices two Real Madrid players: a firm stance towards Endrick

José Mourinho does not appear to want to make changes to the Real Madrid squad during the winter transfer window, despite the presence of two players who have not featured in his plans since the start of the season, at a time when certain files remain open, chief among them the future of Endrick Felipe, who has not been given sufficient opportunities to play.

The Spanish giants are preparing to resume their campaign after the second international break, when they face Celta Vigo on 21 November before playing eight further matches ahead of the Christmas holidays. The winter transfer window opens shortly after, in January, a period Real Madrid rarely like to use for business.

Iván Martín, a journalist at the newspaper “OK Diario”, has revealed two possible exceptions. The club and Mourinho don’t want to change the make-up of the squad mid-season, he explained, though they could sanction the departures of Raúl Asencio and Ferland Mendy. Neither man has featured in a single match this season.

Martín said, during his appearance on Iñaki Angulo’s channel via YouTube: “Mourinho will not allow Endrick to leave, he won’t let him go. The only two players he might allow to leave in the winter transfer market are Mendy and Raúl Asencio”.

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His remarks came while discussing the situation of Endrick, who has played only 141 minutes this season. According to the Defensa Central website, citing the Spanish journalist, Asencio and Mendy are not part of the Portuguese coach’s plans at present.

Real Madrid left the French full-back out of their Champions League squad, handing his place to Sergio Martínez, the young talent the club signed from Racing Santander at the end of August. The midfielder has yet to appear for the first team.

Asencio went under the knife at the end of September after fracturing the bone in his right leg, with his absence estimated at the time between two and four months. The defender may return earlier than expected, having put in a great effort during the rehabilitation programme. Mendy, meanwhile, is back training with his teammates after recovering from a serious injury to the tendon of the rectus femoris muscle in his right leg.

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A question mark over Endrick

Real Madrid are not planning to make any moves from 2 January, the date the transfer market opens in Spain. But Endrick’s situation could change the calculations. His lack of appearances may push the Brazilian striker to demand a departure, perhaps this time via a permanent transfer after his loan spell at Olympique Lyon. Florentino Pérez could then act, despite Mourinho’s insistence on leaving his squad untouched.

Certain circumstances might force the club’s management to rethink, exploring deals to strengthen the team if the need arises. For now, though, the prevailing mood inside Real Madrid is to keep the current group, built on the principle of not changing what is running well.

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journalism and writing are a passion before they are a profession. Since taking my first steps down this path in late 2010, I have been weaving my stories across the pages of Egyptian and Arab websites. I don’t view sports in general—and soccer in particular—as merely a game, but rather as a canvas of life that reflects the pulse of societies and carries within it social and cultural stories that intertwine with the threads of politics to shape people’s consciousness.

I delve into covering and analyzing soccer from multiple angles: I cover the game from multiple angles where storytelling meets analysis, and where the pitch connects to broader social and cultural narratives.

Over time and as my experience grew, my passion expanded to draw connections between the economics of the game, modern technology, and cryptocurrencies—all of which have become part of a soccer industry that extends far beyond the boundaries of the field.

My experience has spanned several prominent Arab outlets: in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, such as Goal (Saudi edition) and Koora, where I have worked as a multi-tasking desk editor since 2019.”I don’t just cover stories, I find them where others aren’t looking, then reshape them until they’re worth reading.

with analytical depth and a human touch to deliver an unforgettable story to the reader.

My Story with Soccer

My passion for soccer began early, specifically at the age of six during the 1994 World Cup. The atmosphere at home was different; the whole family was awake to watch the matches even though they were broadcast at dawn, and that is where my true passion was born. I was captivated by Romário’s mesmerizing skills, amazed by Thomas Brulin, and impressed by the physical and technical prowess of the Nigerian national team led by the late Rashidi Yakini, while the image of Roberto Baggio missing his penalty kick in the final remains etched in my memory as the first dramatic moment I experienced with the game.

As the years passed and my fascination with international soccer grew, certain matches remained defining moments in my football education, such as the 2001 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Spain’s Alavés—that wild 5-4 clash whose intensity didn’t subside until the 117th minute, when an own goal sealed the title for the Reds, cementing it in my memory as an unforgettable match.

My Best Soccer Memories

Unforgettable moments include Real Madrid’s 2002 Champions League victory, Liverpool’s historic 2005 final, and Egypt’s 2006, 2008, and 2010 African Cup of Nations triumphs under Hassan Shehata.

My All-Time Team

Buffon

Cafu – Paolo Maldini – Ramos – Roberto Carlos

Zinedine Zidane – Iniesta

Diego Maradona

Lionel Messi – Ronaldo “The Phenomenon” – Cristiano Ronaldo

My Favorite Articles:

The Ronaldo Mystery… Death in a Foreign Land!

Third dimension.. Barefoot… Has Messi Really Settled

The Debate Over the Greatest of All Time?

(2) Messi Chases Pelé… Has the Debate Over the Greatest of All Time Really Been Settled?

Third dimension: The Terrifying Test… Salah Inherits the Crown of the Seven Years