Barcelona weighing up summer move for 21-year-old promising Benfica winger | OneFootball

Barcelona are continuing their search for attacking reinforcements, and one player who has increasingly caught the club’s attention is Andreas Schjelderup of Benfica.

The 21-year-old winger has quietly built a reputation as one of the more exciting young attackers in Portuguese football this season, and his performances have not gone unnoticed by Barcelona’s scouting network.

According to information reported by SPORT, Barcelona’s sporting department recently took another step in their evaluation of the Norwegian talent. 

During Benfica’s latest league victory over Arouca, a representative from the Catalan club was present to watch Schjelderup play live.

The scouting mission confirmed what Barcelona have been observing for months: the winger continues to develop steadily and remains a player worth following closely.

Barcelona are impressed

Within Barcelona, Schjelderup is viewed as a potential attacking option for the future.

One of the main factors influencing their decision is the uncertainty surrounding the future of Marcus Rashford. 

Barcelona are interested in Andreas Schjelderup. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

The English forward remains one of the preferred options to continue in the squad, but Barcelona are preparing alternative solutions should negotiations fail to produce an agreement.

As far as Schjelderup is concerned, a source within Barcelona’s sporting structure acknowledged the interest while discussing the player’s development.

“We are closely monitoring Schjelderup’s development. His potential is undeniable, and our observations have been very positive,” he explained.

What about the fee?

Benfica, however, are unlikely to make things easy for any club hoping to sign the winger. 

Although his current valuation is believed to be around €18 million, the Portuguese side are aware of the growing interest in the player and have already indicated that any transfer would likely require a significantly higher fee.

Lastly, it must be noted that Barcelona are far from alone in the race, as teams from the Premier League and Serie A are also believed to be following the player’s progress closely.