Norwegian wonderkid Andreas Schjelderup has opened up on the difficult decision not to seal a transfer to Liverpool when he had the chance.
The 17-year-old playmaker looks a hugely exciting young talent and will surely be one to watch in years to come, having already drawn comparisons with Manchester City and England star Jack Grealish.
Schjelderup has already rejected the chance to move to Liverpool, in what will no doubt have been a hugely difficult decision to make, but he spoke to Goal about why he decided it’s not time for a move like that just yet.
It seems Schjelderup was advised that it was a bit soon for him to be joining such a big club, and, in fairness, it sounds like he’ll probably get another chance in the future, with Goal noting that he’s also had trials at Bayern Munich, Juventus and Ajax.
The teenager insists he feels happy with his choice to carry on playing and developing for the time being.
“Of course, it was a bit hard (turning down Liverpool), because when you grow up, you watch the big names and then you hear that they want you, so your head starts to spin,” he said.
“But I got a lot of help from my father and agents, who helped me make the right decision.
“It hurt a little bit for me and my dad in our hearts (not to join Liverpool), but the move here was instead of going to an academy at Under-19 or Under-17 level.
“It felt like this step in the ocean was the right one for me. I was in the Under-19s team when I got started, but I knew when I was ready that I could take a step up to the first team.
“But at the club, they said they didn’t expect me to get there this quick! I planned to do it sooner than they thought, and my plan worked.
“Of course, maybe I can go to a big team in the future. In the long run, for me, this was the best step. When I am ready, I will take the next step.”