Manager confirms interest in Stefan Bajcetic with at least 7 clubs wanting loan

Stefan Bajcetic is a wanted man as Liverpool leave the door ajar for loan offers, and interest from his former club has been confirmed with just days left in the transfer window.

The 19-year-old is fully fit having emerged from pre-season unscathed but despite having something to offer the first team, the club are prepared to let him leave on a temporary deal.

La Liga side Celta Vigo were reported to be considering a loan for Bajcetic, and the manager of his former club, Claudio Giralde, has now confirmed that interest.

Giralde said, via La Voz de Galicia: “The market is open, and he’s one more possibility. He is a player that I know, who knows the club, that we have trained, and he is one more possibility.

“We’ll see what happens.”

The outlet names Real Sociedad, Villarreal, Las Palmas and Valencia as other suitors from La Liga, while two unnamed Premier League clubs are also in the mix regarding the Spaniard.

It was reiterated once more that Liverpool want him to play as a midfielder and not a centre-back, a position the 19-year-old played at his former club.

Bajcetic began his career at Celta, he came through the club’s academy and left when Liverpool paid £225,000 for his signature in December 2020.

His position during any loan move is pivotal and guarantees will be crucial for the Reds to receive if they are to sanction a move this summer.

The young Spaniard played 86 minutes across four pre-season games but was not involved in the matchday squad at Ipswich with Arne Slot having a fully fit list to pick from.

He has also not been involved in any under-21 fixtures so far this season, though he has still reported for first-team training.

Liverpool do not have much depth when it comes to defensive midfielders and thus sending Bajcetic out on loan will not be to everyone’s taste, but Slot’s words earlier this summer hint he needs a consistent shot at minutes.

“I think that’s normal if you’ve been out for such a long time, then you need rhythm, you need game time to grow even further,” Slot told LFCTV during pre-season.