When Mourinho first took charge at Benfica, he questioned whether Schjelderup could cope with “90 minutes”, the intensity and the demands of transition football. That early concern appeared to centre on readiness rather than talent.
By the end of the Portuguese season, the manager’s view had changed sharply. Mourinho said Schjelderup had every reason to be proud and described him as “nothing comparable” to the player he had inherited, pointing to improvement in physical, tactical and mental areas.
That is the kind of development Liverpool’s recruitment team would value: not simply a winger enjoying a short burst of form, but a young player responding to demanding coaching.
Schjelderup previously rejected Liverpool as a teenager, choosing FC Nordsjaelland in 2020 because he believed it offered a quicker path to first-team football. He had also spent time on trial with Bayern Munich and Juventus.
Now, the situation appears reversed. The player who once decided against Anfield is reportedly being watched by the club after establishing himself as a regular contributor for Benfica. His contract runs until 2028, which would give Benfica a strong negotiating position if interest develops into a formal approach.
Schjelderup’s role for Norway has so far been mainly from the bench, according to the report. That does not erase his progress, but it gives Liverpool another opportunity to assess how he handles international pressure and limited minutes.
The next storyline is whether his World Cup involvement grows - and whether Liverpool’s reported monitoring becomes something more concrete in the next transfer window.