'Strong ball-winning ability. High-volume midfielder' - What you need to know about Portsmouth, Millwall and Cardiff-linked midfielder Rocco Shein
Here’s all you need to know about Pompey target Rocco Shein with the help of Norwegian journalist Martin Bjerke.
Rocco Shein could very well be plying his trade at Fratton Park next season.
That’s the feeling that has emerged after news of Pompey’s interest in the midfielder broke on Wednesday, and reports in Norway claiming the Blues were the ‘hottest’ option’ for the Fredrikstad FK player.
A figure between £2.5m to £4.2m would be enough to see the Estonia international swap the Eliteserien for the Championship as the Blues look to kick-start their transfer plans ahead of another gruelling campaign with a statement signing.
But what exactly can we expect from Shein who has 25 caps for his country?
Well, we’ve enlisted the help of respected Norwegian journalist Martin Bjerke to provide us with a comprehensive lowdown of the player.
Here’s what he had to say....
Q Martin, what kind of player is Rocco Shien and what qualities would he bring to Pompey?
MB: I’d describe him as a modern box-to-box midfielder with a strong ball-winning ability who also has the capabilities of contributing to possession rather than a pure playmaker or a defensive midfielder.
He can also be described as a high-volume midfielder. With his touches-of-the-ball numbers being one of the highest in the league, along with his pass accuracy figures, the picture becomes clear on just how important he is to the build-up phase in Fredrikstad, which he could take with him in a move to Portsmouth.
For a midfielder of his profile, he is also defensively solid, with him winning duels and not being afraid to put in a tackle
Where he really excelled, however, is in the progressiveness of his attacking play.
When he has the ball, he isn’t just looking to recycle possession, he has the ability and vision to create something with the ball.
He also has excellent running capacity, meaning he can cover a lot of ground during a match, and will often end up being the player who covers the most distance on the pitch in 90 minutes.
Q. What does Shein still need to work on?
MB: While Shein has a lot of the qualities to become a complete box-to-box to midfielder, there are still some things in his game that can be viewed as a weakness.
For the role that he currently has in the Fredrikstad team, his output has not been that high. In the 2025 season he managed one goal and four assistS, while so far this campaign he has two goals one assist in a struggling Fredrikstad team.
He manages to get into scoring opportunities, he just isn’t clinical enough at this point in time.
His crossing numbers has not been the best, either, but this issue might be reflective of the players on the recieving end of the cross or pass.
Q. Is a move to the Championship something he is capable of making?
MB: Taking a step up when moving clubs will provide some challenges, but I think Shein’s career thus far will help him adapt fairly quickly.
With experience from the top two tiers in the Netherlands, the Norwegian top flight and 25 caps for the Estonian national team, he would arrive with a lot of positive baggage.
Without having done testing, I feel like the Norwegian top flight and the Championship are quite similar leagues. There is a lot of reliance on intensity and physicality in both leagues, which will only help him adapt faster.
While only manging eight matches, he does have experience with FC Utrecht in the Eredivisie, and last summer he played two good games against Crystal Palace in the Europa Conference League play-offs, where in both instances he showed capabilities of playing at a high level.
Q. What is Shein’s best position in the team?
MB: I would say Shein’s best position is as a number 8, in a box-to-box role. In this role he is capable of contributing heavily in the build-up phase, and in the attacking phase of the game.
From what I’ve seen, Portsmouth is undergoing a midfield overhaul, and Shein would be a very good option to have in that midfield.
Q. How has news of a potential move to Pompey gone down with the Fredrikstad fans?
MB: As there is a consensus that Shein is our best player, I think most fans have come to an understanding that this window is the right time to let him go.
Regarding Pompey, specifically, the Championship is a well-known league in Norway, and most people are familiar with Portsmouth as a club as well. Most people are happy to see him potentially go to such a competitive league.
We are in a position where we kind of must sell our best players, it is just how the footballing food chain works, so most Fredrikstad fans will cheer him on and not hold any grudges.
Q. Has Shein improved much since moving to Fredrikstad?
MB: I’d say so yes. When Fredrikstad bought him from FC Dordrecht for about €1m last January, people were divided on him. He was injured when we bought him, and people grew sceptical quite quick due to the fee and him not being able to play from the get-go.
He started slowly, and from an outside perspective his body language seemed lazy and like he was not having a good time.
It became clear after a few months what really lives in Rocco Shein, however, as he gradually took more responsibility - both off and on the pitch. During the mid and latter stages of the 2025 season, it became clear why Fredrikstad spent €1m on him, which at the time was a record transfer for the club.
At the start of the 2026 season, Shein was rewarded with a spot in the captaincy team, consisting of five players in the squad. For each matchday the captaincy team decides the captain for that given match. It shows how much he has grown, both as a person and as a player during his 18 months at the club.
Q. What do you know about a potential move to Pompey?
MB: As of the time of writing, I know that Portsmouth is leading the race. There still a few clubs involved, including fellow Championship sides Millwall and Cardiff, with Eredivisie sides also showing interest.
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