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Andreas Schjelderup was an important transfer target for Tottenham during this summer’s window as Spurs looked to strengthen their options on the wing. The Norway star has been performing well at Benfica for some time, and the Portuguese side were determined to keep him beyond this term. Their new manager, Marco Silva, considers Schjelderup one of his most important players and made his desire to retain the attacker clear. However, Schjelderup was keen to leave and did not want to miss the opportunity to join Tottenham or move to the Premier League. Spurs continued looking for ways to open the door for a potential move, but Benfica resisted their efforts. The Portuguese side viewed Schjelderup as an important part of their squad for this season, making his departure difficult to accept. Their stance remained firm despite the interest from Tottenham. Benfica wanted Schjelderup to stay It has now been revealed that Benfica had also offered Schjelderup a new contract and had been keen for him to sign the agreement over the last few months. The attacker, however, decided against putting pen to paper on the proposed extension. Benfica were still determined to keep him because of his importance to their plans. They also believed that if they could retain him beyond the transfer window, there was a strong chance he would eventually agree to extend his contract. That belief gave Benfica another reason to resist Tottenham’s interest. They did not want to lose an important player while also believing that keeping him could eventually lead to a new agreement. Tottenham miss out on summer move Schjelderup has now remained with Benfica after Tottenham failed to secure his transfer. Spurs had been keen to add the Norway star to their squad, but the Portuguese side’s determination to keep him prevented the move from happening. Sporten reports that Benfica were confident Schjelderup would extend his contract if they managed to keep him beyond the transfer window, which has now happened. Tottenham therefore have to accept that their pursuit of the attacker has not resulted in a summer move. For now, Schjelderup remains with Benfica and will continue to play an important role for the Portuguese side. His decision to reject a new contract earlier in the process means his long term future remains an issue to monitor.