Stefan Bajcetic has not been cleared to resume team training for the start of pre-season, with Andoni Iraola explaining he is “doing slowly, slowly better.”
Bajcetic was part of the first cohort back at the AXA Training Centre, even before first-team training kicked off again on Tuesday.
But despite taking part in preparatory work and being pictured running on the outdoor pitches alongside Jeremy Jacquet, Harvey Elliott and James McConnell, he is yet to rejoin full sessions.
It comes with the Spaniard still making slow progress in his recovery after undergoing hamstring surgery almost 14 months ago.
Speaking to the club’s official website after the start of pre-season, Iraola revealed that Bajcetic is “doing slowly, slowly better but is still not ready to train with us.”
When could Stefan Bajcetic play again for Liverpool?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 24, 2026: Liverpool's Stefan Bajcetic before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
That suggests the 21-year-old will not be available when Liverpool head to the United States for their first warmup games of the summer.
Bajcetic could still make the squad to fly out to Chicago on Monday but the likelihood is that he will miss the opening friendly against Sunderland in Nashville (July 25) at the very least.
This can be considered a major blow for a player who has now entered the final year of his contract and is at a significant crossroads in his career.
Earlier this week it was claimed that Iraola “likes him a lot” and “wants to see him during pre-season” before any final decision is made over his future amid interest from Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano, Getafe and Elche.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, October 19, 2025: Stefan Bajcetic sits behind the Liverpool bench during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC at Anfield. Man Utd won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
But with Bajcetic unable to train and certainly not gain minutes on the pitch at this stage, it will be more difficult for the head coach to make any judgment.
It is now more than two years since the midfielder’s last first-team appearance for Liverpool – a half-hour cameo against Tottenham at Anfield – which itself came eight months after his previous outing.
His young career has been plagued with injuries and fitness setbacks, with brief moments that showed his quality, including a loan spell with Las Palmas in 2025.
Those fit and available have already begun ball work at the AXA, with Elliott, Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones among the midfielders available to Iraola.
“I think we need them to understand what we need, to implement what we want,” he explained.
“We also have to learn a lot from them. We have to know very well the players, where they are more comfortable, what we need to reinforce more, what we need to change.
“The more we can spend time here on the pitch and working with the ball is going to be better for us.”