Andreas Schjelderup wants to play for Barcelona. The 22-year-old Norwegian winger at SL Benfica has made that abundantly clear, publicly stating that a move to the Catalan club would be “fantastic.” And Benfica, for its part, appears willing to let him go for a fraction of his contract’s sticker price.
The deal on the table
Schjelderup’s release clause sits at a lofty €100M. Nobody is paying that. Benfica knows it, and the club has signaled willingness to accept offers in the €30M to €40M range. Some reports suggest the Portuguese club might even entertain bids as low as €20M.
The player’s contract with Benfica runs through 2028, which in theory gives the club leverage. But when a player publicly expresses his desire to leave, that leverage evaporates quickly. Benfica has reportedly considered extending Schjelderup’s contract as a negotiating tool, either to reset the asking price higher or to protect their asset if a summer deal falls through.
Barcelona’s scouting operation has been tracking Schjelderup since at least March 2026. The interest isn’t casual. This is a club that has done its homework and appears ready to act, though no formal agreement has materialized as of July 2026.
