Forgotten Liverpool player asked to tear up contract after not playing for 15 months

Background on Bajcetic's Liverpool Career

Stefan Bajcetic, the 21-year-old midfielder who progressed through Celta Vigo's youth system before joining Liverpool in 2020 as a 16-year-old, is facing a pivotal moment in his career. According to reporting from both the Liverpool Echo and SPORTbible, Bajcetic has been asked to terminate his contract with the Reds to enable a move back to his former club. He was one of the last overseas under-18 signings before Brexit regulations took effect, and he initially made a strong impression after breaking into the first team.

SPORTbible notes that Bajcetic made 11 Premier League appearances during the 2022/23 season under Jurgen Klopp. His last competitive appearance for Liverpool came as a substitute in a 4-2 win over Tottenham in April 2024. His most recent senior outing was in May 2025 while on loan at Las Palmas. The Liverpool Echo reports that his contract with Liverpool runs until June 2027.

Injury Struggles and Current Status

A series of injuries has significantly disrupted Bajcetic's progress at Anfield. SPORTbible details that these have included an adductor tear that ended his 2022/23 campaign early, a long-term calf injury that sidelined him for much of the following season, and hamstring surgery required after his return from the Las Palmas loan, which kept him out for an entire subsequent campaign. He has not featured during pre-season this year but has trained with the first team under new head coach Andoni Iraola.

Both the Liverpool Echo and SPORTbible state that Bajcetic is not included in Iraola's plans for the current season. He previously had loan spells with Red Bull Salzburg and Las Palmas as Liverpool sought to provide him with playing time. In a summer 2024 interview with Liverpool's official website, cited by SPORTbible, Bajcetic reflected on the difficulties of recovery, noting the mental challenges of feeling he should be playing while not being physically capable.

Interest from Celta Vigo and Contract Situation

Celta Vigo have emerged as the latest club linked with Bajcetic, according to reports from Faro de Vigo carried by both the Liverpool Echo and SPORTbible via Sport Witness. The Spanish side, for whom he is a homegrown player, are said to want him to reach an agreement with Liverpool to terminate the remaining period of his deal, allowing a free transfer. The Liverpool Echo compares this approach to the contract termination Mohamed Salah completed before joining Trabzonspor.

Faro de Vigo, as reported by the two outlets, indicates that Bajcetic is closer than ever to a return to La Liga but would initially be placed in Celta Vigo's under-21 or reserve setup for rehabilitation. He would be eligible to play for Celta Vigo B while also being permitted to feature for the first team due to his age. SPORTbible separately notes a report of a possible loan arrangement involving German third-division side Fortuna Dusseldorf, with Bajcetic described as perfectly fit physically. The Liverpool Echo adds that he has also been linked with Getafe and a move to Turkey, though Celta Vigo are viewed as frontrunners.

Celta Vigo head coach Claudio Giráldez addressed the situation cautiously, as quoted in the Liverpool Echo: "If he's happy and we can reach an agreement, it would be a good situation, but I'm not thinking about that right now. He's a homegrown player; I don't talk about players we don't have."

Liverpool's Broader Transfer Context

The potential departure forms part of Liverpool's efforts to reshape the squad. The Liverpool Echo reports that Curtis Jones completed a £30 million (€35 million) move to Inter Milan on Friday. Head coach Andoni Iraola, speaking to Sky Sports as cited by the Liverpool Echo, commented on the window's dynamics: "Some deals you have to wait until the end. But the end is the important picture, the one we will have on September 1, because it is true that we are still quite thin." Liverpool's transfer window closes on September 1.

The club has been active in pursuing reinforcements, with the Liverpool Echo identifying Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola as a primary target and noting interest in Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh, where a £60 million offer was turned down as Brighton seek £70 million. Offloading players who fall outside current plans remains a component of the strategy as the deadline approaches.

Path Ahead for the Midfielder

If an agreement is reached for Bajcetic to leave, the structure outlined by Faro de Vigo would prioritise his gradual return to competitive football through Celta's youth and reserve ranks before any first-team integration. Liverpool appear open to facilitating an exit for the player whose early promise has been curtailed by persistent fitness issues. Whether the contract termination proceeds, or alternative destinations such as Getafe, Turkey or a temporary move elsewhere materialise, will depend on negotiations in the coming days before the window shuts.

Bajcetic's situation underscores the challenges young players can face when injuries interrupt development at a major club, even after an initial breakthrough. Both outlets frame the interest from his boyhood club as a potential route back to regular matches, contingent on resolving the contractual hurdle.