Barcelona have been beaten by Red Bull Salzburg in the race to sign Liverpool’s 19-year-old rising star Stefan Bajcetic.
According to a report from The Athletic, Red Bull Salzburg have agreed terms with Liverpool to acquire the services of Spanish youth international Stefan Bajcetic. Despite a late hijack attack from European giants Barcelona, the Austrian club have come out on top in this transfer battle.
Bajcetic started his career at Celta Vigo and after seven years in their youth setup, he made the move to Liverpool in 2021. He got promoted to their first team 18 months down the line and enjoyed a breakthrough season in the 2022/23 campaign. But, things have not been that great for him as he has struggled with injuries since.
Last season, he was only involved in three first-team matches as he spent the majority of the time on the sidelines because of a calf injury. While he is back fit, the Reds want to send the 19-year-old defensive midfielder out on loan so that he can get regular game time and return to his best.
Red Bull Salzburg have been in talks with the Merseyside club for the services of the teenager for a while now. They want to add more depth to their midfield and feel bringing Bajcetic to their squad on a temporary basis would help their cause.
Red Bull Salzburg win race for Stefan Bajcetic
While Red Bull Salzburg were working to recruit the former Celta Vigo sensation, Barcelona entered the race for his services quite late in the window. The Catalan giants attempted a hijack following a knee ligament injury to their midfield sensation Marc Bernal.
But, they failed to strike a deal with Liverpool and allowed Red Bull Salzburg to take the lead. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Spanish giants could not proceed with the move due to their issues with Financial Fair Play.
The Austrian club have secured an agreement with the Premier League outfit to sign the 19-year-old for the 2024/25 season. The Reds will receive a decent loan fee, which has not been revealed yet. Bajcetic is expected to travel to Austria today to complete his move. The fact that Red Bull Salzburg are coached by former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders would have helped them beat the competition to his services.
