Sport
Stefan Bajcetic has all the qualities to be Liverpool’s long-term replacement for Fabinho
The cameo of Stefan Bajcetic off the bench for Liverpool in their Boxing Day win over Aston Villa was, as Jurgen Klopp put it, “like a Christmas story.” Liverpool fans were surely warmed by the festive display of the 17-year-old who scored his first senior goal at Villa Park, bolstering his growing reputation for the Anfield club.
Much focus has been placed on Liverpool’s midfield this season. By Klopp’s own admission, the club should have strengthened this area of their squad last summer. However, the emergence of Bajcetic has gone some way to addressing Liverpool’s deficiency in midfield with the young Spaniard impressing in the handful of appearances he has made.
“He’s cheeky as hell and he is not worried about anything,” said Klopp after Bajcetic’s goal-scoring display against Aston Villa. “He just plays football and he can do that exceptionally well. He had a football-playing father, so the genes are there but also the attitude, awareness and match intelligence.”
As a defensive midfielder, Bajcetic could be the long-term successor to Fabinho as Liverpool’s anchor in the centre of the pitch. The 17-year-old has the positional awareness to play this position well and possesses the technical ability on the ball to play his role in starting attacks from deep.
Most notable about Bajcetic is his ability with both feet. This gives him the rare capacity to funnel possession in either direction which is something that could make Liverpool a more rounded team. The Reds have evolved as a possession-based team in recent seasons under Klopp and Bajcetic is further accelerating that evolution.
In pre-season, it was clear that Bajcetic lacked the physicality to play at the elite level, but the teenager has added muscle to his frame since the summer and that has helped give him poise on the pitch. Everything is there for Bajcetic to become an important player for Liverpool as Klopp looks to rejuvenate his team.
Bajcetic isn’t the only youngster to have caught Klopp’s eye recently. Ben Doak also came off the bench in Liverpool’s victory over Aston Villa with the Scottish teenager labelled the new Wayne Rooney due to his performances in the Youth Champions League this season. Klopp expects big things from Doak.
“We know that we have to create a situation where these boys can help us – and they can help us – but for that we need to be stable,” Klopp said with regards to the young players coming through at Liverpool this season. “If we are stable, then they can play their role. It’s a big pleasure to work with these boys.”
Of course, Klopp has brought through young players at Liverpool before with Trent Alexander-Arnold sourced from the club’s academy. A pathway into the first team already exists and Bajcetic and Doak appear to be next in line to walk it. The former is already proving his worth as a valuable squad figure.
Klopp has embraced the challenge of rebuilding his squad after a difficult start to the season. Cody Gakpo has been signed from PSV Eindhoven to evolve Liverpool’s attack with a box-to-box midfielder reportedly next on the shopping list – Jude Bellingham has been repeatedly linked with the Anfield club since shining for England at the 2022 World Cup.
However, Klopp has also looked to Liverpool’s academy to help in his rebuilding efforts, particularly over the World Cup break, and Bajcetic is the player making the biggest impact right now. The teenager is far from the finished product, but his recent performances are the sign of a player with a big future at Anfield.
