You might have seen a sure No. 43 catch the attention throughout Liverpool’s pre-season excursions thus far and the one donning the shirt is 17-year-old Stefan Bajcetic, however what will we learn about him?
The Reds’ pre-season is an important interval to set the foundations for the 12 months forward however it is usually the prospect for these within the academy to grab a precious alternative in and across the first group.
Liverpool has a wealth of expertise of their youth ranks and Bajcetic definitely matches below that class, a participant that was namechecked by Pepijn Lijnders way back to January.
That goes to indicate the waves he was making within the academy only a 12 months after signing for the membership, with the coaches keen to indicate him “precisely how we wish to do issues.”
However who’s the midfielder that’s impressing in pre-season?
Who’s Bajcetic?
The 17-year-old joined Liverpool from Celta Vigo in February 2021, in a deal that solely preceded the introduction of Brexit rules by just a few hours.
From the beginning of 2021, English golf equipment have been now not capable of signal gamers below the age of 18 from abroad and Bajcetic represented one of many final younger overseas internationals to land on the membership.
Within the time since Liverpool have shifted their switch focus to a extra home strategy in step with the brand new rules, as seen by the addition of the likes of Kaide Gordon, Bobby Clark, Ben Doak and Trent Kone-Doherty.
Earlier than the abroad market was closed off, Bajcetic attracted loads of curiosity, which included Man United.
Academy director Alex Inglethorpe, his assistant Nick Marshall and under-21s supervisor Barry Lewtas have all been credited with a task in his determination to go for the Reds, who reportedly parted with £224,000 for his signature.
Bajcetic is a Spain nationwide however has Serbian heritage from his dad, Srdjan, who performed for Celta and was on the membership’s books concurrently Thiago‘s dad, Mazinho.
Srdjan settled in Spain after assembly his spouse and noticed his son later be a part of the identical membership.
Has he modified place?
Quick reply, sure. His versatility has seen him shift from centre-back to the deep-lying midfield function, which is the place he was deployed in opposition to Man United, Crystal Palace and RB Leipzig.
His time with Liverpool’s under-18s and under-23s, now considered under-21s, noticed him shift into the bottom of midfield solely quite a few months in the past, benefiting from his potential on and off the ball.
It’s a transfer that Bajcetic has been greater than open to and his time with the primary group has allowed him to study from the very best within the place in Fabinho, as he instructed the membership’s official web site:
“I at all times performed centre-back rising up however now I feel I’m able to taking part in there [No. 6 role]. If they offer me the chance, I’ll.
“To be trustworthy, I don’t thoughts [where I play]. I simply wish to play soccer. If the employees and coach thinks I’m wanted there, I’ll play there.
“Particularly for this membership, the way in which he [Fabinho] performs, I feel, is the very best, and I at all times attempt to have a look at him and study from him.
“It’s clearly robust to play like him however I at all times attempt to have a look at him and study from his positioning, his urgent and all that.”
Why haven’t we seen him sooner?
Bajcetic solely arrived on the membership in 2021 on the age of 16, spending the vast majority of his time with the U18s earlier than then participating in quite a few coaching periods with the primary group.
And whereas the adage adopted by Klopp and co. is that should you’re ‘adequate, you’re sufficiently old’, there’s a stability available and expectation to be managed.
However extra crucially for {the teenager}, an harm in January put a untimely finish to his 12 months final season to depart him working his means again to health main into pre-season, with the assembly in opposition to Man United in Thailand marking his on-field return.
This summer season is the fitting time for the teen and is to depart the door ajar for probabilities all through the season ought to Klopp once more look to the academy, primarily in cup fixtures.
What has been mentioned of {the teenager}?
Bajcetic’s skillset lends itself to his versatility, together with his calm and composed nature coupled together with his potential on the ball, each together with his passing vary and his need to run on the opposition.
They’re traits that there have been seen when he received the ball again at Leipzig to assist arrange Darwin Nunez‘s third aim and Liverpool’s fourth of the day, together with his composure and consciousness clear to see.
A Twitter thread from Lewis Bower showcases what {the teenager} has to supply and why he has caught the attention of Fabinho, amongst others.
He he can cross vertically into ft or swap the play. He’s a incredible passer.
Additionally to disrupt the opposition form, Bajcetic is assured sufficient to hold the ball deep into opposition territory, usually efficiently.
Right here he’s doing each: pic.twitter.com/iZGIq4opIi
— Lewis Bower (@LewisBower2021) July 14, 2022
“He did rather well [vs. Leipzig], he was actually vital within the fourth aim. He recovered the ball in a very vital space,” Fabinho mentioned of {the teenager}.
“He has educated with us, he’ll get higher, he could have extra confidence to take the ball, to show, to do some stuff that the No. 6 does.”
The No. 6 function is the place his future appears to be like destined to be, and with Fabinho, Klopp and the membership’s coaches in his nook, all indicators level to it being a shiny one.
