Andreas Schjelderup: Benfica's Rising Star in Transfer Battle

Andreas Schjelderup is no longer just a promising name on scouting lists. He is the winger turning a World Cup breakout into a full‑blown transfer battle across Europe.

The 22-year-old Benfica attacker has forced his way to the front of the summer market, with Milan and Como the latest Serie A clubs to move from curiosity to concrete interest. They join a growing queue that already includes Liverpool, Tottenham and Atletico Madrid, all tracking a left-footed right winger who looks increasingly difficult to prise away from Lisbon.

Benfica’s rising asset

Benfica know exactly what they have on their hands. According to reports in Italy, the Portuguese champions now value Schjelderup at around €30 million, roughly double the figure Club Brugge were prepared to pay in January. That was before everything changed with one performance.

A match-winning brace against Real Madrid turned a potential winter deal into a non-starter. José Mourinho, recognising the scale of the talent in front of him, pulled Schjelderup off the market and effectively reset the terms of any future negotiation.

Parma felt that shift more than most. The club pushed hard in the winter window, and CEO Federico Cherubini has already admitted they came close, only to fall just short of completing what would have been a statement signing.

Numbers that travel well

Schjelderup’s appeal is not built on hype alone. Comfortable on either flank but most dangerous cutting in from the right onto his favoured left foot, he delivered 10 goals and seven assists in 43 appearances for Benfica last season across all competitions. Those are the kind of numbers that translate across leagues, and clubs at the top end of the food chain have taken notice.

Then came the World Cup.

Thrown into a high-pressure moment, Schjelderup came off the bench for Norway and helped turn a tight game against Senegal into a 3-2 win that sealed a place in the last 16. One impactful cameo on the biggest stage was enough to push his name from the scouting departments into boardroom conversations.

The pressure finally told: interest that had been described as monitoring has started to harden into intent.

Barcelona watching the market

The list of admirers does not stop in England, Italy or Spain’s capital. Barcelona have also been linked, viewing Schjelderup as a possible option if they move for a replacement for Marcus Rashford. For a player still at the start of his career, that kind of association underlines the scale of his rise.

Schjelderup, though, has kept his footing on the ground. Asked about the rumours, he did not bite. “It would be fantastic if those rumours were true, but at the moment I don’t know anything concrete,” he said, a cool response from a young forward whose value is climbing by the week.

Benfica will not rush. With a World Cup bounce behind him, strong club numbers, and a cluster of heavyweight suitors circling, the Portuguese side hold both the player and the leverage. When the first serious bid lands on the table, it will not be the only one.