Brazilian wonderkid Endrick is not the only Real Madrid player on West Ham United’s January radar as the Premier League strugglers engage in talks with the La Liga giants.
Hammers News revealed earlier this month, shortly after he replaced Graham Potter in the London Stadium dugout, that Nuno Espirito Santo had been instructed to assess the squad before making recommendations ahead of the January transfer window.
A centre-forward is likely to be near the top of any winter wishlist.
Nuno lost Niclas Fullkrug to another injury during the October international break. It was telling, meanwhile, that he opted to start both Callums Marshall and Wilson on the bench with Fullkrug unavailable for West Ham United against Brentford on Monday night.
Sky Sports claim that funds will be made available by David Sullivan. Exactly how much, though, remains to be seen. It is understood that, if the club wants to make any big-money signings, they would first have to raise cash by selling.
And, as chief football correspondent Graeme Bailey explains to Hammers News, a pair of Real Madrid starlets in Endrick and Gonzalo Garcia have emerged as affordable, short-term loan options at a time when permanent solutions are likely to be relatively few and far between.
West Ham United in talks with Real Madrid over Endrick and Gonzalo Garcia
Ruben Amorim wants to keep Joshua Zirkzee at Man United, for instance. Sean Dyche will presumably build around Chris Wood, his former Burnley stalwart, at Nottingham Forest too.
Inter Milan have rejected a £42 million bid for Pio Esposito already.
And a source revealed last week that Ivan Toney is unlikely to leave Saudi Arabia, even with a World Cup spot up for grabs in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.
But with Bailey revealing that West Ham are in contact with Real Madrid regarding potential loan deals for either Endrick or Gonzalo Garcia, there are other, more short-term options available for a club who may be priced out of more expensive targets.
“West Ham are working hard behind scenes. They have been and are talking to Madrid. They need to improve things for Nuno,” Bailey says.
“Endrick and Garcia are players they like and, in theory, [a deal] is possible.
“On Endrick, we know his deal is big and would be tough. As it stands, I am told he is most likely to stay in Spain on loan. Garcia is possible, but there are a lot of clubs who want him.
“[There is plenty of interest in] both of them to be fair.”
Xabi Alonso likened Club World Cup star Garcia to Spain icon Raul
Hammers News revealed earlier this month that West Ham have tried to sign Endrick twice before. The first, after he arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu upon his 18th birthday in the summer of 2024. And then again in January of this year.
While Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso says Endrick’s time will come, the £60 million former Palmeiras sensation is yet to play a single minute of football in 2025/26.
Like with the aforementioned Zirkzee, a loan move could be the boost his World Cup hopes need.
Gonzalo Garcia, in contrast, has played seven times for Los Blancos this term. Thirteen, if you include the expanded Club World Cup over the summer. Spain Under-21 poacher Garcia was arguably the tournament’s breakout player with four goals in his six appearances, scoring against the likes of Juventus and Borussia Dortmund.
Alonso sees similarities between Garcia, an instinctive but varied finisher, and Real Madrid icon Raul.
“I had no doubts about Gonzalo,” Alonso said in June. “What he’s doing isn’t a surprise. He’s done it many times at Castilla [the academy].
“He’s the typical number nine, who knows how to wait for his opportunity, who moves well. I’m very happy for him. He has Raul qualities in his movements. There are no decisions regarding the start of next season.”
Garcia has also been linked with the likes of Fulham, Aston Villa and AC Milan. A loan move is likely to be less of a pressing concern for him than it is for Endrick, though, given that the latter has a World Cup place hanging in the balance.
And also considering that Garcia appears to have moved above Endrick in Alonso’s pecking order.
