Keep an eye on: Andreas Retz Laudrup
    
               Age: 21 (10-11-1990)      
          Position: Striker - Left Wing
              Club: FCN (FC Nordsjælland),
                    Danish Superliga
             Debut: 23-04-2009
                    against Brøndby If,
                    Danish Superliga
International Caps: Denmark U21:
                    6 Match(es)
                    2 Goal(s)
                    Denmark U20:
                    1 Match(es)
                    0 Goal(s)
                    Denmark U19: 2 Match(es)
                                 0 Goal(s)
                    Denmark U18: 3 Match(es)
                                 0 Goal(s)
                    Denmark U17: 5 Match(es)
                                 0 Goal(s)
                    Denmark U16: 2 Match(es)
                                 0 Goal(s)
             Value: £450.000 (transfermarkt.co.uk)

Andreas Laudrup had his youth career in Boldklubben Søllerød-Vedbæk before joining Lyngby BK in the 2006/07 season. Laudrup was invited on a trial to the Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam twice in his first year in Lyngby, and it was reported that Barcelona and Real Madrid also were interested in a tryout for the young player.

When Andreas Laudrup’s father, the Danish football legend, Michael Laudrup was hired as manager for the Spanish La Liga team Gestafe, Andreas joined Real Madrid. As Andreas Laudrups father is a well known name in Spanish football, the player decided to use his mother’s maiden name, Retz, to avoid attention around his personality. Danish U21 national coach Morten Wieghorst why the player chose to use another name:
“As soon as the name Laudrup is being mentioned, you think of especially Michael and Brian. People, conscious or unconscious, compare Andreas with his father and uncle. It is a heavy burden for a young player, but Andreas is aware of how it is and has become much stronger as well as a lot better in tackling this than he was before”.

The former FCN-coach also said that Andreas Laudrup was “beginning to make a name of himself”, and that it was “the best thing he could do, as people at some point will associate the name with him and not his father and uncle”.

During his time in Real Madrid’s youth department, the Spanish club was very eager to get him on a full time contract. Real Madrid’s youth coach, Juvenil A Alejandro Menéndez Garcia, said to the Danish newspaper B.T:
“What I have seen from Andreas Laudrup is very positive. He has the right ingredients to become a star player”.

When Michael Laudrup signed a contract as manager for Russian Spartak Moscow, the club tried to sign Andreas, as well. However, they younger Laudrup rejected and instead transferred back to Lyngby on a free contract, to play as an amateur.

Three months after his transfer to Lyngby, the young attacker, was about to sign with a new Dutch club Heerenveen, according to the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet. Asked if Laudrup is too good to Danish football, Morten Wieghorst said:
“Andreas is still a young player, and he is in a good club [FC Nordsjælland] at the moment, with a great environment, where they are good at developing young players. He has already of first team experience in the Danish Superliga, and he needs more of it before he can take the next step”.

In January 2009, Laudrup transferred to his current club FCN where he signed a contract for 3 years. He had his debut against Brøndby IF 3 months after he joined the club. Great performances for his club resulted in a place in the Danish U21 squad, where he had his debut in the 1-0 victory against Mexico. Morten Wieghorst, who at that time was Laudrup’s manager in Nordsjælland here, gives his view on the players’ strengths and weaknesses:

“He has his best forces in the offensive play. When he has players around him whom he can play combination plays with, then he is really dangerous for the opponent because he has  quick feet and at the same time he knows where his teammates are. What he is working a lot with and what he is putting in his play is to be more decisive in the matches and thereby bringing himself or his fellow player in a position to finish at goal”.

Andreas Laudrup signed a new contract with FCN last year, keeping him in the club for at least 2014.


Andreas Laudrup scores a goal for Lyngby (Youth match)