The Benfica winger, set to face the Azzurri tonight, has caught the eye of Bologna and Lazio; in his home country, however, he is at the center of a legal case for sharing an intimate video with minors. The verdict is expected next Wednesday

The Norwegian’s arrival in Milan could offer a close-up look at one of the most talked-about names of the moment. We’re talking about Benfica’s Andreas Schjelderup, a left winger born in 2004. The winger is currently at the center of both transfer rumors and a troubling legal case.

Let’s start with the transfer rumors. In January 2023, Benfica signed him from Nordsjaelland for around 10 million. A difficult adjustment to Portuguese soccer led him to return to his former club on loan before coming back to Lisbon in June 2024. This season, he has made just one start in the Champions League and has seen sporadic playing time in the league. One goal and one assist in the Portuguese Serie A simply aren’t enough for a talent like him. And so, the approaching January transfer window offers an interesting opportunity for Italian teams. A left winger—and thus a player suited to a certain style of play. Bologna, thanks to a top-notch scouting network, has been tracking him for a few weeks, as has Lazio, which remains in a somewhat uncertain position since it must wait for the green light to make moves in the transfer market. Keep an eye on Schjelderup, who could find a new lease on his career in Italy. And he might play at San Siro against the Azzurri after having played 70 minutes against Estonia.

The scandal—  It’s worth noting that an off-field scandal has emerged surrounding Andreas. During his time at Nordsjaelland, the player shared an intimate video involving minors with a friend on Snapchat. It was a scandal. However, neither in Lisbon nor within the Norwegian Football Federation did the player face ostracism; instead, he received general support while his mistake was acknowledged. “It was a stupid mistake of youth” – admitted Schjelderup himself, who was 19 at the time of the incident. “He did something really stupid,” commented Norwegian national team coach Stale Solbakken. On Wednesday, the 19th, the court will rule on his sentence: he faces the possibility of a suspended sentence and a fine.