Liverpool are reportedly considering offloading midfield starlet Stefan Bajcetic in a move that could potentially come back to bite them in spectacular fashion. The Spaniard burst onto the scene at Anfield earlier this year and was the standout player in a woefully out-of-form Liverpool side at the time.
Injury halted his progress, but Jurgen Klopp has repeatedly stated that he wants the midfielder as part of his plans. At 18 years of age, Bajcetic is one for the future, but his early performances suggest he can also make an impact in the present.
A long injury recovery process has meant that he’s been limited to a handful of appearances this year. Another setback before the international break would have frustrated Klopp, who is still lacking a natural No 6 without Bajcetic.
Alexis Mac Allister has been given that role for now with Curtis Jones given the nod to start alongside Dominik Szoboszlai when everyone is fit. Where that leaves Bajcetic remains to be seen though and Fabrizio Romano for CaughtOffside has suggested Liverpool could look to loan the midfielder out.
Liverpool have also been a selling club when offered a deal they simply can’t refuse and Bajcetic won’t be short of admirers with deep-lying midfielders tough to come by in the current market. But Liverpool need only look at examples from Chelsea and United how selling young stars could leave them with egg on their face.
Angel Gomes is now ripping it up in Ligue 1 with Lille and was a huge part of the England squad that won the Under-21 European Championship earlier this year. He left United on a free transfer three years ago and is the kind of midfielder United could desperately do in Erik ten Hag’s squad.
Chelsea have had even worse judgement on letting their young players leave only to see them thrive elsewhere. Nathan Ake, Mohamed Salah, Fikayo Tomori and Marc Guehi are just a few players to have left Chelsea in recent years after being told they weren’t wanted.
All four have gone on to have stellar careers elsewhere with Salah in particular making Chelsea look foolish. Liverpool have notoriously sold well under Klopp’s reign with only a few players going on to have better careers elsewhere.
But Bajcetic would be the biggest gamble yet were they to let the Spaniard slip through their fingers.
