Liverpool transfer now in doubt after worrying injury update | OneFootball

Stefan Bajcetic Injury Update Complicates Liverpool Midfield Transfer Plans

Liverpool want midfield changes this summer. That part is obvious. Andoni Iraola has inherited a squad that needs sorting after a poor 2025-26 campaign, and the club are clearly weighing arrivals against exits. The problem is simple, plans only work when there is a market for the players you are ready to move on.

That is where Stefan Bajcetic enters the picture. On paper, he looked like one of the easier decisions. A young midfielder, highly regarded, linked with several La Liga clubs, and heading into the final stretch of his contract. In reality, it is messier than that. Fitness decides everything, and right now his fitness is not where it needs to be.

Liverpool Midfield Overhaul Needs Sales

Liverpool have been linked with a fresh midfield rebuild, with Adam Wharton firmly in view, although Crystal Palace are reportedly seeking £100m for the 22-year-old. Other names have also surfaced, including Kaishu Sano and Ayyoub Bouaddi. Whether those deals develop depends heavily on outgoings.

There are several moving parts. Harvey Elliott is back after a disappointing loan at Aston Villa and has one year left on his contract. Curtis Jones is in a similar bracket, with Inter Milan interested and Liverpool thought to want €40m. If that figure is met, there is a clear route to a sale.

Bajcetic falls into another category. He is not an established first-team regular, nor is he currently in a position to rebuild his value quickly. That matters when clubs in Spain are looking for low-cost opportunities rather than expensive rehabilitation projects.

Photo: IMAGO

Andoni Iraola Delivers Clear Stefan Bajcetic Verdict

Bajcetic joined Liverpool from Celta Vigo in 2020 and for a while looked like one of the smarter pieces of long-term recruitment. He broke through under Jürgen Klopp and showed composure, intelligence and enough bite to suggest he had a serious future at the club.

Since then, the story has gone in the wrong direction. Injuries have stalled him, and loan spells at Red Bull Salzburg and Las Palmas did little to restore momentum. He has not made a Liverpool first-team appearance in more than two years. That is a long absence for any player, especially one still only 21.

Iraola has now provided the key update, saying: “Then we have Stefan that is doing slowly, slowly better but is still not ready to train with us.”

That is the line that changes the market. Clubs such as Sevilla, Getafe and Rayo Vallecano may admire the player, but admiration is cheap. Taking on someone who is still short of training readiness is another matter entirely.

La Liga Interest Looks Hard to Convert

The Spanish interest made sense when Bajcetic could be framed as a low-fee gamble with upside. It makes far less sense if he cannot prove match sharpness before the window closes. A loan is also difficult unless Liverpool first secure his contract position, because sending out a player with limited time left on his deal solves very little.

If his recovery drags on towards 1 September, Liverpool may simply be left with him for the season. That creates an awkward situation. Either the club offer a new contract to protect value, or they risk seeing a once-promising midfielder drift towards 2027 with little leverage and even less certainty.

For Liverpool, this is what a rebuild often looks like. Not grand strategy, not clean exits, just the hard fact that an injured player is an immobile asset. Bajcetic still has talent. What he does not have, right now, is a transfer market.

For more on Liverpool’s summer plans and squad reshaping, see the latest reporting here.