England’s own Sergio Aguero given huge boost by transfer of Real Madrid record-breaker

Rising England youth international Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez will benefit hugely at Lyon from the arrival of Real Madrid star Endrick.

The 17-year-old is enjoying a breakthrough second senior season in France after joining on a three-year deal from Southampton last year.

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He was born in Venezuela and also has a Portuguese passport due to his grandparents, and has played for both at the youth level.

However, the forward has exclusively been with the Young Lions since 2023, most recently for England’s U17 at the World Cup last month.

Gomes Rodriguez, whose 334 goals in 136 games broke the Southampton Youth Football League record, joined Lyon in 2024, with the Saints only receiving a paltry £150,000 compensation fee.

Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez profile

He made his debut against Lens in May and was on the bench for the 2-2 Europa League quarter-final first-leg against Manchester United.

Gomes Rodriguez has since been a regular in Lyon’s first-team squad’s English revolution, featuring Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Tyler Morton.

The 5’9 striker has featured twice in the Europa League and played in the Coupe de France following his return from the U17 World Cup.

Lyon have now completed a loan deal for Real Madrid’s Endrick, with his online presentation already shattering the club’s record for views.

Paulo Fonseca has promised the Brazilian gametime in his bid to reach next summer’s World Cup, but European football expert Andy Brassell believes it won’t come as a detriment to Gomes Rodriguez.

“It’s easy to see the Endrick signing as a barrier to Gomes Rodriguez, he told talkSPORT.com. “But all I would say is he’s 17 years old.

‘Someone the coaching staff really rate’

Brassell continued: “He can’t really expect to be leading the line for one of the bigger clubs in Europe.

“I think the fact that he’s in the squad shows how much they value and esteem him.

“But there’s also really been a sense that Paulo Fonseca and his coaching staff really want to protect Gomes Rodriguez.

“Now, for that reason, he’s had some chances. He’s had some chances in Ligue 1 and in the Europa League and now in the Coupe de France.

“He’s someone who the coaching staff really rate. It would be easy just to throw him in, and all of a sudden, he gets flogged, and it’s too much for him. I think they’ve used him quite sensibly.”

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A mark of how highly Gomes Rodriguez is rated is that he’s seemingly usurped Enzo Molebe in the pecking order, who was named among the 60 best young talents in world football last year.

“I think what’s interesting over the last probably month and a bit is he’s leapt above Enzo Molebe in the pecking order. Another young striker who recently signed a new deal, just like Gomes Rodriguez did going back a month or two.

“So they clearly want to build with those guys going forward. But Molebe is someone who scored prolifically for Lyon at youth level.

“It was always assumed that Molebe would be ahead of Gomes Rodriguez in the queue, but Gomez Rodriguez has made much better use of his minutes in the first team than Molebe has.”

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An example of that came in Lyon’s 3-0 win over six-division Saint-Cyr Collonges, with Gomes Rodriguez linking up with Pavel Sulc from the bench to help score his side’s second goal.

“That’s what I think people generally, going back to preseason, really like about Gomes Rodriguez,” Brassell added.

“The fact that he just chases lost causes. And for someone who’s 17 and not built like a brick outhouse, for him to have that level of industry, it fits perfectly with what Lyon and Fonseca are trying to do.

“I think to be able to do that in the closing minutes of games is going to get him loads of sub-appearances between now and the end of the season. Because Endrick will definitely be the starter, there’s no doubt about that.

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Two advantages in Endrick’s Lyon transfer

“But there are two advantages to Endrick arriving there for Gomes Rodriguez. Firstly, he gets to learn off someone who’s older, more advanced and more accomplished than him at the moment.

“And secondly, because Endrick’s going to play every game, there will be moments where they want to protect him and take him off.

“That sort of directness that Endrick has, that is something that Gomes Rodriguez can teach himself, I think.

“We’ve seen some of that already. He’s very team-focused, but at the same time, with a little bit more greed. Endrick, as soon as he gets the ball, he wants to have a shot. That’s what he wants to do.

“Martin Satriano, who’s played a lot of the games at centre-forward, he’s just not going to be a consistent goalscorer.

“Gomes Rodriguez could do that, I think, long-term, projecting forward.

“The struggles that Satriano and, to an extent, Molebe have had, have just pushed Gomes Rodriguez a little bit further up the queue.

“If you’re looking for someone to back up Endrick, he’s a really great choice. Someone who can really get after tired defenders, and is the last person you want to see as a tired defender.

“So, I think he’s in a good place. The coaching staff really, really like him.

“The club have committed to him over the medium term by extending his contract, as well. There’s plenty left in this season for him.”