AC Milan to revisit Endrick in January — but Hutchinson audition must fail first

AC Milan are competing with Roma for a January loan move for Real Madrid forward Endrick, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport, with the Brazilian carrying a significant off-field advantage into any negotiation — a business partnership between the Rossoneri's ownership and the agency that manages the 20-year-old's career.

Endrick has managed just ten minutes of first-team football at the Bernabeu so far this season, with competition for the centre-forward position from Kylian Mbappe and summer signing Carlos Espi — who has played a decisive role in two recent Real Madrid victories — severely limiting his opportunities under boss Jose Mourinho.

Real Madrid transfer news: why AC Milan's Roc Nation connection matters

Real Madrid blocked a move for Endrick at Mourinho's request when AC Milan made an approach during the summer window, a fact confirmed publicly by former Rossoneri striker Alexandre Pato at an event in Italy on Saturday.

'I know that Gerry Cardinale [the club's owner] was trying to bring him to Milan — we spoke about it, but in the end it did not happen,' Pato said.

What gives Milan a structural advantage over other potential suitors is a partnership that has nothing to do with football. Since 2020, RedBird Capital Partners — the American investment firm that owns AC Milan — has maintained a business relationship with Roc Nation, the agency group that manages Endrick's career.

That partnership, which began under the previous Elliott Management Corporation ownership and continued after Cardinale's takeover in 2022, has only deepened: in August, RedBird and Roc Nation jointly invested in a business dealing in sports trading cards, collectibles and signed memorabilia.

'The network of contacts Cardinale has built over the years could therefore be very useful for Milan, who believe they have an advantageous position with Roc Nation and consequently in relation to Endrick,' Gazzetta journalist Andrea Ramazzotti wrote.

Real Madrid transfer news: the condition AC Milan have set themselves

Any January approach is not guaranteed. When Endrick chose to remain at Real Madrid in the summer, AC Milan moved to sign Brentford's Omari Hutchinson on a season-long loan, a player who occupies the same role in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 system that Endrick would fill.

According to the Gazzetta, AC Milan intend to assess Hutchinson's contribution over the coming three months before deciding whether to revisit the Endrick situation. Should Hutchinson fail to establish himself and Endrick remain without game time in Spain, the report states that his name 'will regain prominence in the Italian club's plans'.