Liverpool’s young midfielder, Stefan Bajcetic, is on the brink of joining RB Salzburg on loan for the 2024-25 season, despite a late attempt by Barcelona to secure his services.
The move comes after weeks of speculation, with Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns preventing the Spanish giants from finalizing a deal.
Stefan Bajcetic future in limbo
Bajcetic’s father revealed the unexpected twist when Barcelona entered the race late in the transfer window.
“We didn’t expect Barça to enter the race… we were all ready to go to Salzburg. But we still don’t have any info on what’s gonna happen,” he said. The uncertainty left the 19-year-old midfielder in a state of limbo, torn between a top club like Barcelona and a guaranteed move to Salzburg.
Barcelona’s financial constraints have been a significant hurdle, making it impossible to complete the deal for Bajcetic. The club’s interest in the young talent came after their midfielder Marc Bernal suffered a knee ligament injury, but FFP issues halted their progress.
RB Salzburg, however, remained persistent. They had been in talks with Liverpool for weeks, and despite Barcelona’s last-minute approach, they have secured Bajcetic’s services. The Spain Under-21 international is expected to travel to Austria on Thursday to finalize the loan.
Bajcetic, who joined Liverpool from Celta’s youth team in 2020, has shown great potential despite injury setbacks. He made his mark during the 2022-23 season but has struggled with injuries since, limiting his appearances. Now, with Salzburg coached by former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders, Bajcetic has a new opportunity to revive his career in Austria.
Liverpool’s midfield is currently stacked with talents like Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, and Ryan Gravenberch, making a loan move for Bajcetic a strategic decision for his development.
As things stand, unless Barcelona pulls off a miracle, Stefan Bajcetic is set to spend the next season honing his skills in the Austrian Bundesliga with RB Salzburg.
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