From Ronaldo to Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos to Rivaldo, Real Madrid and Barcelona have a unique history of Brazilian players – and two young strikers will hope to maintain that tradition when they move to Spain in 2024.

Andric and Vitor Roque have already signed for Madrid and Barca from Palmeiras and Atlético Paranás, respectively, but are yet to join. Indrik will have to wait until he turns 18 next July, the champions hope to welcome the already 18-year-old Rock in January.

So who are these two La Liga-bound strikers, what can their fans expect and how are Madrid and Barcelona looking to progress away from South America? The athleticism explains.

Enderic’s signing for Madrid, announced last December, was the latest in a similar move by the 14-time European champions: sign anyone you see before their prices go up. Hope for such a young man.

Just like Brazilians Vinicius Junior and Rodrigo or Turkish midfielder Arda Guler, Indrik chose Madrid over Barcelona and other suitors. The Catalans’ perilous financial situation didn’t help and personal talks with their head coach Xavi weren’t enough to convince him to go there.

Madrid also did a lot of ground work before securing the teenager’s signature. Influential recruiting leader Spanish-Brazilian Juni Calafat has visited Sao Paulo several times to see Andric at work for Palmeras and to get to know the youngster and his family.

Vinicius Jr., who is represented by the same agency as Enrique, Rodrigo, Eder Militao and Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti, continued to impress (The Athletic reports that a meeting between Ancelotti and Enrique was Madrid and Brazil’s famous Ronaldo). An agreement was reached after Madrid president Florentino Perez recognized it.

Endrik was 16 years old when the announcement was made and the law does not allow players from other countries to travel to Europe under the age of 18.

Just like Vinicius Jr. who signed for Flamengo in 2017, Endrick will have to wait until he turns that age next summer to join his new team. His birthday is July 21, so one option being considered is for him to arrive in the Spanish capital in time for the club’s pre-season tour in 2024.

The law does not allow players under the age of 18 to have a contract of more than three years, so Enderik’s contract will only last until 2027, but there is a gentleman’s agreement with the camp to extend it until 2030. $2.1m; £1.7m) net per season, although sources familiar with the situation – like others quoted in this article, who asked not to be named to protect their position – have told The Athletic that the figure is higher than that and will increase season-by-season with goal bonuses.

Palmeras will receive €35m for Indric and there is an additional €25m in variables, some linked to his progress in Brazil in the coming months and others to his stay in Europe.

Andric celebrates a goal for Palmeras (Nelson Almeida/AFP via Getty Images)

In the 10 months since the deal was made official, Madrid have paid more attention to Indrik than before. A source close to the player said: “They are always physically close because Juni (Calafat) and other people from the club travel to Brazil or talk on the phone.” “They talk to him, his family, his representatives…”

Go deeper

Meet 15-year-old Enduric: 5ft 6in tall, left-footed and the next big thing in Brazilian football.

During transfer negotiations, there is regular contact between Madrid and Palmeiras, aided by good communication between the clubs. Both sides want what’s best for Induric, given the sporting and financial rewards he could receive if he performs well.

This season’s Brazilian Serie A runs from April to early December, and the Copa Libertadores from February to November (Palmeras is out of the finals, but South America is tied for the Champions League, losing to Argentina’s Boca Juniors in the semi-finals earlier this month). Endrik has scored eight goals and provided one assist in 43 club appearances in all competitions this season and has started 21 times.

The 17-year-old is mostly used as a number 9 – which is what Madrid see him playing for, despite being only 5ft 8in (173cm) – with a few looks on either wing. “He’s very young and that’s why he’s always ready for new things, to try new things, even if he’s a striker,” Brazilian sources said.

Madrid will continue to monitor his progress, but the plan has always been for Andrique to join their first-team squad as soon as he arrives. Following Karim Benzema’s summer move to Saudi Arabia, Ancelotti’s only recognized top striker is Joselu, who signed on loan from Espanyol in June with an option to buy next summer. Although admired by the coaching staff and directors for his professionalism and tenacity, Joselu will be 34 at the time and his future is undecided.

And despite his resistance to playing as a No.9, Madrid will try again to sign Kylian Mbappe in 2024. The striker left Paris Saint-Germain this summer without renewing his contract, meaning he could leave on a free transfer next summer – although a significant signing fee is expected to be necessary. Maintain the services.

Go deeper

Kylian Mbappe stays at PSG…for now: meetings, bonus proposal and what comes next

Enderic’s goalscoring stats may not have been impressive this year, but Madrid have kept the bonuses they agreed to pay in their contract with Palmeiras. Both Madrid and Andrić’s supporters expected him to play more this season, but they see this as normal for the player who turned 17 just three months ago.

Journalists highlighted Enderik’s goallessness, which made the player even more isolated despite being a “very powerful mind”, people close to him said. There have also been reports of rough treatment by opposition last month, with Corinthians midfielder Michonne particularly tough – but this is not seen as a threat by the camp.

The test in Maycon last month (Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images).

“Like any player, he can be injured or injured, but Andric does a lot of preventive work, with training, physiotherapy, with a personal physio who comes to his house with a specific plan,” says a person with knowledge of the matter. The situation. “The strength is not a concern because he is very ready, very strong and has been doing this for years.”

Barcelona confirmed Roque’s signing last July – and a month later, Deco was finally announced as their new sporting director.

Go deeper

Barcelona’s new sporting ‘direction’ explained – confusion, questions and decoys

Despite the time between those developments, from within the club, there is no doubt who was the main factor behind Roque’s arrival from Atlético Paranás. A club source told The Athletic that the move was “the first signing of the Deco era”.

Brazilian by birth, ex-Barcelona, ​​Chelsea and Portugal midfielder Deco often knows about rock talent. One of his most trusted partners in Brazil is Branco, a former national team player who is currently working as a youth coordinator for the Brazilian FA.

Branco tells Dico to keep a close eye on Roque’s impressive performance. But Deco didn’t just want to sign the 18-year-old because of his talent – he also believed the Catalan club’s dire financial situation meant it was now or never.

Roque in action for Atlético Paranás (Albari Rosa/AFP via Getty Images)

There are other reasons why the signature is meaningful.

With Robert Lewandowski, their only recognized first-team striker, turning 36 next summer, the club will need to make a succession plan. Club sources say Roque’s willingness to sign for Barcelona and potentially delay ahead of the actual move has made a difference, given La Liga’s salary cap issues.

This was one of the reasons Barcelona failed to sign Andric before he joined rivals Madrid.

They have also followed the development of Palmeras’ youngster and after several meetings over the past year, they understand that he is in a fluid relationship with his entourage. But Barca have told the player’s camp that they will have to wait until 2023 to make a realistic offer for Enrique given their problems, and the opportunity has been missed.

Roque’s name began to do the rounds in the international media following the departure of Andrić – and Barca may have seen him sign him as a way to compensate for their efforts to land the striker who is now bound for the Bernabeu.

Still, Roque’s stats suggest they’ve been getting at least a player of similar caliber in recent years.

He scored 20 goals and 8 assists in 42 club games this year and made his debut in Brazil in March.

As part of the deal for Roque, €30 million plus add-ons, Barca and Atlético Paranás have agreed he will not join the La Liga champions until the January 2024 window. It means the Brazilian club can count on their young star until the end of what they hope will be a long Copa Libertadores campaign, after winning last year’s final – but if so, they will be knocked out in the round of 16 on August 16. Bolivian side bolivar.

A lot has happened since then.

Rumors suggested Roque’s move to Barca, but this was quickly denied by the Catalan club. From the beginning of the negotiations, they had accepted that the Rock would not be able to join until January of next year, and they had no intention of changing that.

He helped Barcelona, ​​who were struggling to sign all their players under La Liga’s salary cap until the end of the summer transfer window.

They are still not in the financial position to bring in Roque in January, but in recent weeks Xavi’s coaching staff are planning to have the youngster join the squad at the start of the new year, according to Deco himself. Barca’s new sporting director is not overly optimistic as he heads to Brazil for his latest international break this month for family reasons – but also to see the Roc.

“We want him to come, but let’s see what we can do,” Deco told Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo. “Not only because of the club’s efforts, but also because of the rules we have to follow in La Liga.”

The Rock himself has addressed the issues surrounding what might happen to him after this latest meeting with Dicko. “Anything can happen in January, but if the signing is not done, I will stay positive and focus on what I can do with Paranás,” he said.

It was Deco’s key visit that made it clear Barca’s plans for the teenager have not changed.

Deco was a key figure in the rock signing (Alex Caparros/Getty Images).

These recent weeks have not been easy for Rock, who suffered an ankle injury during the league win over the International in September. After watching television footage of the incident, Barca feared the worst and quickly contacted Parrans’ medical services. After an examination and scan, it was determined that Rock would not need surgery and would instead follow a conservative treatment program. Although the problem lasted for a few months, the diagnosis was better than expected.

“I think I’ll be playing for Paranese again before the end of the year if everything goes well,” Rock said earlier this month.

Even if Roque arrives in Catalonia in January or next summer, he is expected to be a member of the first team since his arrival.

There are no plans for him to start at Barcelona Athletic – who play in Spain’s third tier – whose B team is largely made up of youngsters – as Lewandowski believes there is enough room for him to serve as a back-up. With 144 caps, it allows the Polish striker to lead the way.

Go deeper

El Clasico: Real Madrid and Barcelona’s tense week combination will not change.

Go deeper

Lamin Yamal: Barcelona’s young talent and the proud neighborhood that created him

(Top photos: Getty Images)