Newcastle United will be encouraged by Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso’s latest decision on an expensive star that Eddie Howe is keen on bringing to St. James’ Park.
Backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Newcastle were very active in the summer transfer window and made the major signings of Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw and Aaron Ramsdale. Newcastle, who won the Carabao Cup last season, also signed two strikers, bringing in Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart and Yoane Wissa from Brentford.
Woltemade and Wissa have replaced Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson in the Newcastle squad.
However, while Woltemade has made a strong start to his Newcastle career, scoring four goals in seven appearances (UPDATE), Wissa has yet to make an appearance for Eddie Howe’s side due to injury problems.
TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, reported on September 22 that Newcastle are keen on adding another striker in the January transfer window, with Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic a key target.
Real Madrid striker Endrick has also been linked with a move to Newcastle in the middle of the season.
Defensa Central, a Real Madrid-centric news outlet, reported in July of Newcastle’s desire in the summer of 2025 to sign Endrick, who cost Los Blancos €70million (£61.2m, $82.2m) when they struck a deal with Palmeiras in December 2022 for a 2024 transfer.
Juventus-centric TuttoJuve reported on September 23 that Newcastle have ‘already prepared an official proposal’ to beat Juventus to the signing of Endrick on a loan deal in January.
E-Noticies, a Catalan news outlet, subsequently reported that Newcastle have made a loan offer for the 19-year-old striker, adding that the teenager is ‘open’ to a move to St. James’ Park.
Cadena COPE has since reported that while Real Madrid are open to sending Endrick out on loan in the January transfer window, the striker himself wants to stay.
However, Endrick’s resolve to stay at Madrid and eke out a place for himself in the starting line-up will be tested by Alonso’s latest snub.
Endrick was an unused substitute yet again on Saturday evening, as Real Madrid beat Villarreal 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in LaLiga.
According to Marca, which has strong links with Real Madrid, Endrick’s ‘role is no longer secondary, like last season, it’s now tertiary’.
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Marca observed after Saturday’s match: ‘Endrick is the only Real Madrid outfield player medically cleared to play who hasn’t yet been called up by Xabi Alonso. That’s five calls now… and zero minutes.
‘He didn’t get his chance in Almaty either, in a match that saw rotations and Mbappe look good with his hat trick. Not even then.
‘In the 80th minute, when Xabi wanted to withdraw the number 1, his replacement was… Gonzalo Garcia.
‘Xabi said beforehand that everything would depend on the situation and that the competition is fierce… but it’s going to be a long time for the striker.
‘His role is no longer secondary, like last season; it’s now tertiary.’
Kylian Mbappe is the number one striker at Real Madrid, but it is now Gonzalo Garcia – and not Endrick – who is his back-up.
Garcia burst onto the scene at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and subsequently earned a new contract with Los Blancos.
While Endrick has been called up five times to the Madrid squad and has not made an appearance since his recovery from injury, Garcia, who scored four goals and gave one assist in six FIFA Club World Cup matches, has made one start and four substitute appearances in LaLiga and has also played nine minutes in the Champions League.
On Friday, before the match against Villarreal, Alonso said about Endrick, as quoted in Goal: “He has a chance to be a starter.
“He’s coming off a slightly longer injury, but he’s been training well for a few weeks now, and it’s just a matter of finding the right context in the game for him to come on.”
Alonso added: “He has a goal-scoring instinct, a brutal finish. There’s just a lot of competition, but his time will come.”
While Alonso clearly rates Endrick, who is only 19 years of age and certainly has a long-term future at Madrid, Newcastle will be encouraged by the Brazil international continuing to warm the bench.
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