“Schjelderup is getting too big for Portuguese football.” This statement came from editor-in-chief Luís Pedro Sousa at Record earlier this month, we at sporten.com have been saying this for a long time. Benfica are working hard to persuade the 22-year-old to continue in the league he has played his way into as one of the big stars, but if we are to believe Sousa, the natural way forward is to one of the biggest leagues. Now it is being prepared for the big transfer.
Because when Cristiano Ronaldo’s former agent Jorge Mendes connects with a player, it signals the potential and likelihood of the big change. Even before this summer’s World Cup, Benfica’s Norwegian star winger was on several lists for big clubs across Europe. Everyone was aware of his talent, but the success under then-manager Jose Mourinho was still too fresh for the really big chequebooks to be brought out.
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Interest and willingness to pay have exploded, but Benfica coach Marco Silva’s “he’s part of the foundation of the attack” and the club’s €100 million buyout clause kept the big clubs at bay in the summer transfer window.
But now it is being rigged for an exit. According to Portuguese Record , Andreas Schjelderup is changing his football agent to Jorge Mendes. A guy who only works with the very biggest, or players he thinks will give him the fattest commissions. Jorge Mendes had Cristiano Ronaldo in his squad for several years, and that he now represents players like Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and PSG’s João Neves – and coaches like José Mourinho at Real Madrid and Enzo Maresca at Manchester City.
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This is the agent who regularly has lunch with the bosses of the world’s biggest clubs. Definitely a signal that the Norwegian 22-year-old is getting ready for the big signing.
