Hansi Flick suffered (a lot) in the Champions League match against Benfica, but it helped him draw some conclusions. The German is a very offensive coach and, despite FC Barcelona being the highest-scoring team in all of Europe, he wants to continue strengthening his forward line. Precisely in this match, he closely followed the performance of several players and was delighted with one of them: Andreas Schjelderup.
SPORT has discovered that Andreas Schjelderup's name has been added to Barça's list of potential signings. The decision was made by Deco, the sporting director, after discussing it with Hansi Flick. The plan is clear: monitor the Benfica forward over the coming months to follow his performance and development. At Barcelona, they believe he has great potential and don't want to lose track of him.
At 20 years old, Andreas Schjelderup is standing out this season at Benfica. Represented by Rafaela Pimienta, a close friend of Laporta, he is clear that the Portuguese club should be a stepping stone in his career. He wants to play for a big club and considers that Barça could suit his characteristics. He cost the Portuguese club 9 million euros, and the plan is to double or triple his price.
So far this season, Andreas Schjelderup has played 18 matches in a Benfica jersey, scoring three goals and providing up to four assists. He has a contract there until 2028, but he is clear that he won't play much longer in Portugal, aiming to move to a bigger club sooner rather than later. His release clause is 100 million euros, but no one is willing to pay it.
Hansi Flick, impressed with Andreas Schjelderup
Hansi Flick liked what he saw live in the match between Barça and Benfica. He believes that Andreas Schjelderup has everything to become a standout player in the coming years. The request to Deco has been clear: he wants to keep him monitored in case the opportunity to sign him arises; he is someone who interests him.
In any case, it doesn't seem like anything imminent will happen at Barça with Schjelderup. There are other more immediate priorities ahead, such as the loan of Marcus Rashford for the remainder of the season.
The truth is that the interest is mutual between Barça and Andreas Schjelderup. However, there is absolute calm for the moment. Hansi Flick has requested it, and Deco will follow him closely.