Chelsea transfer news: Blues eye Benfica winger Andreas Schjelderup despite European hurdle
Chelsea transfer news: Chelsea have opened talks with the camp of Benfica winger Andreas Schjelderup. According to reports from transfer insider Ekrem Konur, the Blues are firmly in the race for the 22-year-old Norwegian. But there is a massive catch. One that might kill the deal before it even gets off the ground.
Benfica want around €45 million for their man. It sounds like a lot, but it is actually a massive discount on his £86 million release clause. Portuguese outlet A Bola claims Benfica have set a strict €40 million floor. Pay less than that, and they will simply hang up the phone. Chelsea have the cash, obviously. The real issue is elsewhere.
Why the Blues want him and the massive catch
The kid is good. Really good. Last season, Schjelderup racked up 10 goals and 7 assists in 43 games across all competitions. In the league alone, he managed 7 goals and 5 assists. He averages a goal involvement every 0.68 per 90 minutes. That is serious, consistent output.
His biggest moment? The FIFA Club World Cup back in June. He scored the winner against Bayern Munich to secure top spot in Group C. That one goal changed everything, putting his name on every scout’s radar.
Chelsea desperately need that kind of threat. Last year, the club spent a combined €102.2 million on Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens. The return? A single Premier League goal between them. Shocking. It leaves the board with no choice but to find extra firepower.
But Schjelderup has a non-negotiable demand: Champions League football. Chelsea cannot offer that after their dismal domestic campaign left them completely out of Europe.
Read: Deal imminent? €17.1M PL star has agreed on personal terms with Chelsea
AC Milan already got turned away for the same reason. Liverpool are sniffing around, and even Cesc Fàbregas’s Como are in a stronger position to pull off a shock signing because they qualified for Europe’s top competition. Chelsea can offer a massive wage packet, but they cannot buy their way out of this particular corner.
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