Liverpool to End Bajcetic’s Loan Following Sacking of Former Assistant Manager

Liverpool are preparing to recall Stefan Bajcetic from his loan spell at Red Bull Salzburg.

This decision follows the sacking of former Reds assistant manager Pep Lijnders by the Austrian club last month.

Bajcetic’s loan is set to be cut short

Lijnders, who was appointed in the summer, left the club in December after just five months in charge.

During his brief tenure, Lijnders signed Bajcetic on a season-long loan and also secured a permanent move for Liverpool youngster Bobby Clark.

However, Bajcetic is now reportedly on the verge of following Lijnders out the door.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are set to end the 20-year-old’s loan spell.

Bajcetic may then be loaned out again for the remainder of the season.

The report further mentions that Real Betis are in advanced discussions regarding a potential move, with the deal progressing but not yet finalized.

Lijnders brought Bajcetic in on loan during the summer before his exit.

Since joining Salzburg, Bajcetic has made 18 appearances across all competitions for the club.

Previously, he made 22 first-team appearances for Liverpool, scoring once.

The Spanish under-21 international joined Liverpool from Celta Vigo in 2020.

Two years later, Klopp handed Bajcetic his Premier League debut at the age of 17.

Now, Bajcetic is set to return to Spain, where he is expected to join Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis this month.

Betis are currently ninth in La Liga after winning six of their 18 league matches. Additionally, they remain in the Europa Conference League and will face Gent in a knockout play-off tie in February.

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Michael Owen identifies the sole team capable of preventing Liverpool from winning the title

Liverpool are heavy favourites to win the Premier League this season, and former Reds star Michael Owen has identified the “only danger” to their title hopes.

Owen believes Arsenal pose the “only danger” to Liverpool’s challenge for the Premier League title.

Currently, Liverpool lead the table by seven points, having only lost once this season under their new manager, Arne Slot. Arsenal are in fourth place but could move up to second if they defeat Ipswich at the Emirates tonight.

This would bring them to within six points of Liverpool, who still have a game in hand. Owen, however, sees them as the only team with a realistic chance to threaten Liverpool’s lead. He does acknowledge, though, that Liverpool are “streaking clear” of the competition and says he would be “astonished” if they failed to win the league.

“They’re [Liverpool] absolutely loving it aren’t they, you can only imagine that dressing room,” Owen said to Premier League Productions after Liverpool’s 3-1 comeback victory over Leicester on Boxing Day.

“People will say, they [Liverpool] will come out and say, ‘we don’t look at other teams, we just concentrate on ourselves,’ and they’re right to do that. They are concentrating on themselves, and they are motoring along really well.

“But everyone around them is falling away at the same time—Chelsea lost today, Manchester City dropped points again, and they’re probably out of it now. When I look at the league table, I’d be astonished if Liverpool don’t go on to win it now.

“I think their only danger could be Arsenal. I don’t fancy Chelsea, I think they are too young, too inexperienced. Forest are having a great season but they can’t sustain that. Newcastle are too far behind, even though they are coming into good form at the moment. Bournemouth can’t challenge either.

“For me, it’s Arsenal and Arsenal only in terms of danger to them [Liverpool]. But I think they’re only a danger to themselves, the way they are playing, unless they implode themselves, unless they have a Manchester City moment, it looks like they’re streaking clear.”