Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has firmly ruled out a January loan move for Brazilian forward Endrick, dealing a significant blow to AC Milan’s transfer ambitions.

The Italian giants had identified the young attacker as a prime target to bolster their frontline during the winter transfer window, hoping to capitalize on his limited playing time at the Santiago Bernabéu.

However, Mourinho has made it clear that the 20-year-old remains an integral part of his long-term plans and will not be allowed to leave.

Endrick’s progress at the start of the campaign was disrupted by an unfortunate pre-season injury that sidelined him for over a month, restricting him to just a handful of minutes.

Explaining the situation to TNT Sports Brasil, Mourinho defended his handling of the player and expressed absolute confidence in his capabilities.

“Forget about the interested clubs,” Mourinho said. “He is a player that I really like, a player that I think has lots of potential and is very important for us.”

Detailing a recent tactical decision during their narrow win over Villarreal, where a red card forced a change in plans just as Endrick was about to be introduced, the Portuguese tactician emphasized that the youngster’s breakthrough is just around the corner.

“Whoever is interested in him is going to have to fight very hard with me, because I don’t believe that he needs to go out on loan and that he will be a huge success here.”

With Mourinho firmly slamming the door on a temporary exit, AC Milan and other interested suitors will now be forced to look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements in January.

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