Endrick reveals deciding factor in choosing Real Madrid over Chelsea

Endrick has admitted he seriously considered joining Chelsea but was ultimately determined to pursue his dream of playing for Real Madrid.

The Brazilian teenager will head to the Spanish capital in July once he turns 18, after the 14-time Champions League winners agreed a package with Palmeiras worth €60m (£52m), and will join up with fellow countrymen Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.

Vinicius and Rodrygo both headed to Madrid at the same time of their respective careers and have gone on to become key players for Carlo Ancelotti.

Endrick has been tipped to reach the very top of the game, such has been his impact at Palmeiras, and there's great excitement over what he'll be able to produce in the coming years.

But things could have been very different had Endrick taken up the chance to join Chelsea - a move his father previously revealed had been all but agreed.

Speaking to The Athletic, Endrick commented on the speculation over where he would end up and revealed Chelsea was an option he seriously considered.

"At one point, there was a lot of talk about Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe for Madrid and that was when there was strong interest from Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain," he said. "Of course, they are big and important teams. I am very interested in them and they would be excellent options.

"I was attracted by the Premier League, the city of London and the fact that English is the economically dominant language in the world.

"And obviously Chelsea is a strong brand that has won two Champions Leagues."

Ultimately though, Endrick was unable to look past his dream of playing at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he could potentially play alongside Mbappe if his highly-anticipated move from Paris Saint-Germain goes through.

"I was told that it rains a lot in London, but that wouldn't be a problem because, as my father used to say, I always liked playing in the rain. But I always made it clear to my agent that my dream was Real Madrid."

He added about Mbappe possibly joining: "Whenever there are high-level players within the team, the team will develop better, and consequently, it will be able to win in attitude, right?

"So whatever is best for Real Madrid and the entire team, let it be done. I just want to be happy playing my football like I always wanted. Obviously, if I can play with Vinicius, Rodrygo or Kylian it will be something very good. But Florentino [Perez] and all the people around him know what to do which will be better for the club."

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