Mourinho shuts the door on an Endrick loan

“Forget it, forget it. Forget about the interested clubs. They’d be better off sitting and waiting, or they’ll get tired,” José Mourinho said of Endrick. Asked by TNT about clubs interested in the forward, the coach flatly rejected the possibility of a loan move. He spoke before the Champions League match against Roma, with questions being raised about the player’s future.

Mourinho also stressed the regard in which he holds him: “He’s a player I adore. I think he has incredible potential and is very important to us.” He said Endrick had been set back by an injury after pre-season, which kept him out for four or five weeks and ruled him out of the start of the season. The coach added that he had already spoken to him, but had not had the chance to do so immediately after his recovery.

Explaining why Endrick had not come on, Mourinho said he had been about to bring him and Bernardo into the match when the goal was scored. The situation then changed: Vinicius was sent off, and leading while down to ten men prompted him to reconsider his options, Mourinho explained.

The coach ended by making his desire to keep the forward clear. Any clubs pursuing him, he said, would have to “fight me a lot”. Mourinho believes Endrick does not need to go out on loan and will enjoy “the greatest success here”.