Liverpool already appear to be reaping the rewards of some shrewd transfer business which caught Manchester United and Chelsea cold.
The Reds wasted no time in rushing to get a deal for promising youngster Stefan Bajcetic over the line back in December 2020 - just before Brexit rules would have made a transfer impossible. Liverpool worked hard to complete negotiations for the then-16-year-old talent, forking out £225,000 to prise him from Spainish side Celta Vigo.
Scouts for the Merseyside club had been impressed when watching Bajcetic previously, with his performances also catching the eye of their Premier League rivals. But while United and Chelsea dithered, it was Liverpool who would ultimately beat them to the punch.
The Sun claim United and Chelsea were put off making a move for Bajcetic out of fears he would not be allowed into the UK. EU rules now prohibit UK clubs signing players from abroad who are under the age of 18 - as of January 1, 2021.
It's proved to be a superb decision for Liverpool, with the youngster thriving in the academy and already forcing his way into Jurgen Klopp's plans despite his tender age. Bajcetic (now 17) impressed during several run-outs in pre-season, particularly the home defeat to Strasbourg where he hit the crossbar with a curling free-kick.
Since then, Klopp has seen enough to hand the teenager a place on the subs' bench, even bringing him on for his debut in a 21-minute cameo in the 9-0 drubbing of Bournemouth. Previously utilised as a centre-back at Celta Vigo, Bajcetic has seen more minutes as a holding midfielder at Liverpool where he continues to flourish.
The Echo report that sources close to the club state Bajcetic is developing quicker than the long-term vision they had in mind. So much so that he has been called upon to help cover the club's current midfield injury crisis, regularly filling one of the substitutes' slots in Klopp's matchday squad.
Should Bajcetic be given more time to shine amid Liverpool's injury crisis? Let us know your thoughts on the youngster in the comments below.
Liverpool have shown a real commitment to promoting players from the academy; Trent Alexander-Arnold being the standout example, while the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones have all made the jump in recent seasons.
Speaking of the talent in the club's youth ranks at the start of this year, Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders said: "I really believe in our project looking at our Academy. We look all the time at the Academy.
"Our U18s played against Burnley in the FA Youth Cup, we had Bobby Clark, Luke Chambers, Stefan Bajcetic, they all stand out. I hope they come with us during the pre-season because it is important for them to have a proper pre-season to know exactly how we want to do things."
Liverpool's staff have been mindful not to push Bajcetic too much, though, as he continues to train and play in the youth ranks. Under-21's manager Barry Lewtas explained to the Echo how Bajcetic and teammate Bobby Clark are both now moving between the youth and senior ranks to further their development.
"We can add them both to our mix as well if we need, so in terms of Stefan, we have a really good system in place that we don't lose contact with the boys," Lewtas said. "It's not like they go with the first team [and then we don't see them], it's the same building, the same staff and we speak daily.
"So he's not with us all the time and at the moment he's having a fantastic experience with the first team but I think the real beauty of where we are now is those connections are stronger."
Klopp described Bajcetic's performance vs Strasbourg as "really good" during the summer, with Liverpool legend Phil Thompson also impressed by what he saw. “Bajcetic comes on, he's turning the ball around and is cutting about three or four players of theirs out of the game with one pass because he has the confidence and ability,” Thompson said on LFCTV.
Bajcetic came on for Jordan Henderson in last months's hammering of Bournemouth and revealed the advice his manager gave to him before he entered the fray. “[Klopp said] Just play like you do in training – with confidence. Don’t worry about it, it’s the same as in training, all the games.”
