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Stefan Bajcetic’s rise at Liverpool

Stefan Bajcetic has quickly become the feel good story of Liverpool season, albeit without much competition.

In a difficult campaign for the Reds, the 18-year-old Spanish Serbian midfielder has emerged to give hope. Jurgen Klopp likes giving youth a chance; it is his trust in the immensely talented Trent Alexander-Arnold that allowed him to develop into one of the best fullbacks in world footballer as a teenager. But Bajcetic’s appearance was more to do with circumstance than faith; it would be wrong to say he would have been thrown in if he weren’t ready or good enough, but injuries in midfield, particularly to key man Thiago Alcantara, forced the issue earlier than anybody probably wanted. Were Thiago fully fit, it is unlikely Bajcetic would have featured nearly as much as he has in recent weeks.

Yet, that is what makes his rise all the more impressive from the outside, and satisfying for Liverpool fans.

The manner in which he controlled the game against Everton on Monday showed his game understanding is well beyond his years. He was the main reason for Liverpool’s first win of 2023, but the most eyecatching thing about that result was not the result, but the manner of the performance. Klopp said it ‘felt like us’ at full time; the intensity, tempo, pressing, hunger and organisation they exude at their best but has been missing for much of this season was evident again. The performance was not perfect, but there were green shoots of recovery. That was because their midfield was mobile again, thanks in no small part to Bajcetic.

In the build up to the win at Newcastle on Saturday evening, Klopp piled praise on the youngster, saying he was a joy to work with.

So far there were no signs we have to rest him, which is good for us. Stefan played exceptional and not because he is only 18, he just played exceptional.

“Top talent, super player. Played really good for us so far. Since he is with us it is a pure joy to work with him.

“I think the mix of Serbia and Spain is a good one for football. If you meet him he is a top, intelligent boy and it is a joy to work together.

“The interesting thing is his dad and Thiago’s dad played together for Celta Vigo so not only Thiago, but Thiago as well took him under his wing.

“He has a great bunch of players around him that he can work from and he is an absolute joy.”

At St James’ Park, he made another incredibly telling contribution, spinning with the ball after receiving it from the defence and driving forward before spreading it wide. From there the ball found the area, where Cody Gakpo, who opened his Reds account against Everton, slid in to add a second goal to Darwin Nunez’s early opener.

The early goals took the game away from Newcastle, who saw a 17-match unbeaten league run since defeat at Anfield ended, before Nick Pope’s red card sealed their fate completely. But the scoreline didn’t tell the full story; there were chances and Liverpool were put under pressure. Victory puts the Reds just six points behind Newcastle in fourth, with a game in hand.

Again, though, Bajcetic looked extremely comfortable at the top level. It is one thing to not look out of your depth, but to change a team’s fortunes and run games at such a young age shows signs of a very exciting talent.

Are we at the stage where he could be the future of Liverpool’s midfield? Not yet. Despite everything, it is still early days; that is not to say he will falter, but he has to be allowed to. Young players rarely develop with no issues along the way; there could be tough times ahead, and easing expectation is the best way to manage that.

Revamping the midfield fully will require moves in the transfer market. The irony is, the man Liverpool dream of, Jude Bellingham, is only a couple of years older than Bajcetic. But his experience with Borussia Dortmund and England means he is much more reliable option.

There will be plenty of others, too. But the Bajcetic’s emergence isn’t to stop Liverpool signing other midfielders; it is better to view it in terms of him helping bring the club back to its best at the most crucial time.