The Brazilian teenager cannot officially move to the Spanish capital for another 18 months, but how will Los Blancos look when he eventually shows up?
After Real Madrid confirmed that there is an agreement in place to sign Brazilian wonderkid Endrick on Thursday, the Spanish giants seem to have their frontline of the future figured out.
A potential heir to Karim Benzema has been purchased, and though Endrick's lack of experience makes it difficult to project just how good he could turn out to be, that Madrid have been willing to spend up to €60 million on the 16-year-old should illustrate just how highly they rate him.
He will not, however, be gracing Santiago Bernabeu for another 18 months, with FIFA rules meaning that he cannot move to Europe until after his 18th birthday, with Madrid planning to welcome him into the fold in the summer of 2024.
And though 18 months is a long time in football, the Madrid team when Endrick finally arrives might look pretty similar to the one that lines up currently.
Yes, the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Dani Carvajal are likely to have moved on or at least have diminished roles, but most of Madrid's presumptive XI seems to be sorted.
There are, though, some holes that need addressing, and perhaps even areas to upgrade on, with everyone knowing that Florentino Perez is not afraid to splash the cash in a bid to improve the team.
So how will Madrid line up when Endrick begins his career with the club? GOAL has attempted to figure it out…
Getty ImagesGK: Thibaut Courtois
At 30 years old and among the best in the world, Courtois appears to have the goalkeeper spot at Madrid nailed down for the foreseeable future.
Who backs him up could be up in the air, however, with the promising Andriy Lunin possibly looking for a move elsewhere at the end of the current campaign so as to earn more first-team minutes.
Still, with Courtois as the No,1, the future seems bright.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesRB: Vinicius Tobias
Right back is the most immediate problem area for Los Blancos both in 2022 and going forward.
Dani Carvajal isn't as reliable as he used to be, with injuries and a decline in pace seeing the Spain international's career a the highest level being to crumble.
Madrid, though, might have an in-house replacement in the shape of Vinicius Tobias.
Signed on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk in March, the 18-year-old Brazilian has made excellent progress this season, shining for Real Madrid Castilla in the Spanish third tier.
Madrid have the option to make the deal permanent by paying around €18 million, and they are likely to trigger that clause in the coming months.
Meanwhile,there are, inevitably, also potential big name signing being tossed around. For example, rumours surrounding a potential return to the club for Achraf Hakimi continue to pop up, although Paris Saint-Germain will likely request a massive sum for his services.
Getty ImagesCB: Eder Militao
Brazilian centre-back Militao has improved immensely over the last 18 months, having initially found himself behind Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane in the pecking order when he signed for Madrid back in 2019.
His appearances across his first two years in Madrid, meanwhile, looked a little shaky, and there were questions asked regarding whether he lad a long-term future at the club.
But since stepping into the starting line up at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, Militao has looked a reliable and composed presence, and his partnership with David Alaba has been excellent.
That he can also slot in at right-back if needed makes him all the more useful, and at 24, there's still a lot of football to come.
Getty ImagesCB: Antonio Rudiger
This one is a toss up, and largely depends on the health of David Alaba. The Austrian centre-back is two years older than Rudiger, and hasn't been at his best so far in the 2022-23 campaign.
That could leave room for Rudiger, signed as a free agent from Chelsea last summer, to slide into the starting XI on a more regular basis going forward.
Rudiger is a similar profile of defender to Militao, but has impressed when called upon for Madrid this season.
And while Alaba appears to be declining, Rudiger's best football might still be to come.