Barcelona come up with another alternative to Marcus Rashford

Barcelona’s search for wide attacking reinforcements has taken another Scandinavian turn, with Benfica’s 21-year-old winger Andreas Schjelderup emerging as the latest name on the club’s summer wish-list. The Catalans, who continue to monitor Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, have now added Schjelderup to a growing catalogue of options should a permanent deal for the England international prove financially unworkable.

The Blaugrana are known to be enamoured with Rashford’s profile, yet the €30 million purchase clause attached to his current loan arrangement is viewed internally as a significant stumbling block. With the clock ticking toward the new season, sporting staff have been instructed to compile viable alternatives. Jan Virgili, a forward already on the radar, has been joined by Schjelderup, whose recent performances have turned heads in the Camp Nou scouting department.

According to Portuguese daily O Jogo, Barcelona representatives were present at Benfica’s 2-1 victory over Arouca last week, with Schjelderup the focus of their attention. A club source confirmed the level of interest, stating: “Barcelona are closely following Schjelderup’s evolution. His potential is undeniable and our observations have been very positive.”

Born in Bodø and schooled in the academies of Bodø/Glimt and Nordsjælland, Schjelderup moved to Lisbon last year and has quickly adapted to life under Jose Mourinho, registering eye-catching displays in domestic and European competition. A standout showing against Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage accelerated speculation that Europe’s elite are circling, and although a January move failed to materialise, a valuation of roughly €18 million positions him as an attainable target for a cost-conscious Barcelona hierarchy.

Technical analysts believe the Norwegian under-21 international’s direct dribbling and comfort in one-v-one situations align with the profile Barcelona are seeking to complement their established forward line. With financial fair play restrictions still shaping the club’s market strategy, securing a talent of Schjelderup’s calibre for nearly half the price of Rashford’s buy-out clause represents an increasingly attractive scenario.

Whether the pursuit of Schjelderup accelerates may depend on parallel negotiations surrounding Rashford, yet Barcelona’s expanded shortlist underlines a pragmatic approach: identify emerging, value-driven solutions while keeping the dream signing within sight. As the summer window approaches, all eyes will be on the Catalan giants to see which avenue they ultimately pursue.