It has been a outstanding rise for Liverpool midfielder Stefan Bajcetic, who solely 15 months in the past was making a reputation for himself as a part of the under-18s.
In a tough season for Liverpool to date, Bajcetic has emerged as one of many overriding positives as he breaks via into the primary group.
That was compounded on Tuesday night time as he shone within the 1-0 win over Wolves within the FA Cup, which was his third begin for the membership and his ninth senior look.
Bajcetic has additionally featured towards Ajax (twice), Derby, Man Metropolis, Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Leicester and Napoli this season, and have become the membership’s third-youngest Premier League goalscorer when he netted towards Villa on Boxing Day.
A £220,000 signing from Celta Vigo in 2020, the Spaniard initially arrived on a scholarship deal and joined up with Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s U18s.
Then a centre-back, talks along with his U18s coach together with academy director Alex Inglethorpe led to a tweak in his place, stepping ahead into midfield.
“As elegant as he was as a centre-back, we puzzled whether or not he’d have extra alternative if he moved up a line,” Inglethorpe instructed the Liverpool Echo in December.
“Curiously, I spoke to Stefan round that point and he stated his dad, who’s a former participant, had at all times stated he’d find yourself a midfielder.
“I don’t suppose we had been pushing towards a closed door with our resolution to maneuver Stefan.”
A landmark in that position got here throughout a 4-0 thrashing of Everton within the mini-Merseyside derby in October 2021 – a star flip that included the afternoon’s fourth objective.
? Stefan Bajcetic, Bobby Clark and Mateusz Musialowski all took half in first-team coaching right now.
Three enormous abilities! pic.twitter.com/89Pnxb0emv
— Jack Lusby (@LusbyJack) November 18, 2021
That got here simply over per week on from his seventeenth birthday, and three weeks on from that, Bajcetic was known as as much as first-team coaching together with Bobby Clark.
Days later, the teen signed his first skilled contract.
?? Nice information that Stefan Bajcetic has signed his first professional take care of #LFC.
One of many standout performers this season at CB and DM, and giving the contract so quickly after his seventeenth birthday reveals the assumption on the membership. pic.twitter.com/ksqsvNt6Qe
— Jack Lusby (@LusbyJack) November 25, 2021
Attributable to contractual rules, the longest that deal might have been was three years, which might have seen it expire in 2024.
However Liverpool moved to tie him right down to prolonged phrases in August, when Bajcetic put pen to paper on a brand new multi-year contract.
Although the precise size of the deal has not been disclosed, it’s prone to have been 5 years, which might take him to 2027, consistent with new contracts agreed with Harvey Elliott, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay.
Having made his mark throughout pre-season, the now-18-year-old is proving a invaluable squad participant for Klopp in a marketing campaign plagued with accidents, together with in midfield.
“Yesterday we skilled – the session was insane, it was actually cool – and I walked off the pitch with Jurgen,” assistant supervisor Pepijn Lijnders recalled final month.
“He simply stands subsequent to me and whispers ‘wow, Stefan and Bobby Clark – they play so mature! They play like they’re 25!’.”
Bajcetic is a staple in first-team coaching and has been within the matchday squad for 22 of 29 video games, two of which he missed attributable to a hip damage, and his position might enhance within the coming weeks.
If he’s allowed to move out on mortgage in pursuit of an everyday beginning position subsequent season, nevertheless, {the teenager} already has one suitor.
“I wouldn’t thoughts taking him on mortgage subsequent season!” Preston supervisor Ryan Lowe instructed the Lancashire Telegraph, after watching the win over Wolves.
Realistically, although, Liverpool could also be trying greater up the pyramid in the event that they do permit Bajcetic to maneuver on mortgage in the summertime.
