Liverpool SHOCK as star sent home with Club World Cup decision made

Liverpool have taken the decision to send promising midfielder Stefan Bajcetic back to Spain on loan with Las Palmas in a surprising January transfer move.

Bajcetic had hooked up with former Liverpool assistant boss Pep Lijnders at Red Bull Salzburg for the first half of the season but the deal went sour as the Austrian club have faltered. Lijnder was sacked in December, taking an awkward decision out of the hand of former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, who started with Red Bull as head of global soccer in January.

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The 20-year-old Bajcetic had hoped to play a starring role for the club as he rebuilds his career following a serious knee injury. As he broke through as a 17-year-old at Liverpool, he was hailed as one of the game’s next great central midfielders, but he is still fighting to regain that form.

Salzburg proved a dud move for him as he quickly fell out of favour as the team struggled and was regularly reduced to a role on the bench. Indeed, he missed their only Champions League win in seven games while was left on the bench as they were destroyed 5-1 at the Bernabeu by Real Madrid.

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Bajcetic calls time on Salzburg loan

Bajcetic has now agreed to put an end to his time in Austria, The Athletic reports, with Las Palmas his destination. It is stated that Lijnders’ departure has been an important catalyst in his decision, with the three-time capped Spain U21 international not having featured from the start in a single game since.

Liverpool are said to have been satisfied with his development in Salzburg and indeed expected him to remain with Red Bull Salzburg until after the Club World Cup in the summer. On the other hand, the player was eager to move on.

Bajcetic was given the choice between Porto and Las Palmas, and he has elected to make the move back to his homeland.

Does he have a future at Anfield?

Liverpool’s plan for the 20-year-old is to see how he develops in the Canary Islands and give him an opportunity to impress Arne Slot again during pre-season. They will then assess his form at that point.

The Reds, though, are desperate to see him regain the level that saw him earmarked as one to watch when he exploded onto the scene in the 2022/23 season before being struck down with injury.