CHICAGO, USA - Friday, July 31, 2026: Liverpool's Stefan Bajcetic during an open training session at the Endeavor Health Performance Center ahead of their final pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
CHICAGO, USA - Friday, July 31, 2026: Liverpool's Stefan Bajcetic during an open training session at the Endeavor Health Performance Center ahead of their final pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Stefan Bajcetic‘s boyhood club are eyeing a return for the Liverpool midfielder, but on the condition he terminates his contract early.
The 21-year-old has endured a frustrating journey with injury, having failed to play competitively since May 2025, leaving Liverpool to carefully manage his return.
Bajcetic has attracted the interest of Getafe, with talks having reportedly taken place last week, and now Celta Vigo are considering his return more than six years after he left for Merseyside.
Spanish outlet Faro de Vigo, a local paper considered reliable for news regarding Celta, reports Bajcetic is “closer than ever to returning home” as the club “wants him back.”
However, the caveat is that he terminates the final year of his contract with Liverpool, which is due to expire next summer – this, of course, would require the Reds’ agreement.
CHICAGO, USA - Friday, July 31, 2026: Liverpool's Stefan Bajcetic during an open training session at the Endeavor Health Performance Center ahead of their final pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
CHICAGO, USA - Friday, July 31, 2026: Liverpool's Stefan Bajcetic during an open training session at the Endeavor Health Performance Center ahead of their final pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool are unlikely to recoup a noteworthy fee for Bajcetic, despite his obvious potential, due to his injury history, and would need to consider the pros and cons to sanctioning his early exit.
Celta are not considering the midfielder for the first team, as they instead want him with Celta Fortuna in the Spanish second division to gain experience and confidence after his injury woes.
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Their coach, Fredi Alvarez, said he would welcome Bajcetic’s arrival in a recent press conference: “We need a central midfielder, and we know Stefan can perfectly fill that position.
“In this final week, we’re going to try to sign a midfielder; we’ll see if it’s Stefan or someone else.
“If he were playing regularly, we certainly wouldn’t have a chance of signing him because he’d have more ambitious goals.
“Stefan is a player who knows the club and whom we know, so hopefully, it can happen.”
According to Faro de Vigo, the medical reports available to Celta show Bajcetic is ‘perfectly fit physically’, but he still needs to be handled with care to get back to his best.
Bajcetic left boyhood club Celta Vigo to join Liverpool in 2020 – since making 22 senior appearances, his last in 2024 – before loans with Salzburg and Las Palmas.
The 21-year-old was present in Liverpool training earlier this summer, but he took no part in any of the pre-season friendlies and has yet to rejoin full team training.
Football – Pre-Season – Liverpool FC v Leeds United FC
CHICAGO, USA - Sunday, August 2, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola speaks with Ryan Gravenberch during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field. Leeds won 4-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Lewis Koumas Newcastle
Lewis Koumas Newcastle