Arne Slot to hand golden opportunity to Liverpool youngster | OneFootball

Arne Slot Hands Bajcetic His Final Liverpool Lifeline

Squad shaped in Slot’s image

Liverpool’s summer has been defined by change. A year after inheriting Jürgen Klopp’s squad and guiding them to a Premier League title, Arne Slot has now been afforded the luxury of moulding a team in his own vision. Big-money arrivals such as Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong signal the scale of that project, while Hugo Ekitiké and the pursuit of Alexander Isak underline Liverpool’s intent to refresh every line of the pitch.

Yet the story of this season may not be defined solely by record signings. As with Rio Ngumoha’s pre-season breakthrough, there is a strand of optimism rooted closer to home. That thread now entwines with Stefan Bajcetic.

Bajcetic back in the fold

Bajcetic, once hailed as Liverpool’s next midfield star, has seen his path repeatedly derailed by injury. His breakthrough campaign in 2022/23 suggested a player of rare poise and energy. Since then, momentum has deserted him: only one league start in 2023/24, followed by stuttering loan spells at Salzburg and Las Palmas.

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The assumption was that his Anfield story had quietly closed. Instead, Arne Slot has chosen to reopen the book.

Why Bajcetic still matters

Part of this is pragmatic. As a homegrown player, Bajcetic helps Liverpool meet UEFA squad requirements. But there is more to it than paperwork. Slot values midfielders who are tall, industrious, and capable of transitioning quickly through the thirds. Bajcetic, when fit, fits that profile.

His presence in daily training offers him a fresh audition. Stay fit, impress in the small moments, and opportunities will follow. This does seem like his final chance to become a Liverpool player though.

Final chance at Anfield

Elite football is rarely forgiving. Careers can unravel as quickly as they are built, and Bajcetic has lived that reality. Yet at 20, time is still technically on his side. Liverpool supporters once imagined a midfield anchored by his dynamism; the coming season will reveal whether that vision was misplaced nostalgia or a glimpse of genuine potential.

For Arne Slot, the calculation is simple: there is little to lose, and possibly a star still to be reclaimed. For Bajcetic, it is everything.