‘Defensive Monster’ Set to Boost Arne Slot’s Liverpool Midfield Next Season – Journalist | OneFootball

Stefan Bajcetic’s Liverpool Future Under Arne Slot: What Next for the Promising Midfielder?

As Liverpool enter the post-Klopp era under Premier League-winning manager Arne Slot, much attention has rightly turned to summer signings. But as David Lynch highlights, the future of internal talents like Stefan Bajcetic deserves equal scrutiny.

Loan Stints and Lingering Questions

David Lynch sets the context early: “There are a few players already on the books at Anfield who may be able to make more of a telling impact next season than they did in the last. Chief among them really is Stefan Bajcetic.”

The Spanish midfielder spent last season on loan at RB Salzburg and then Las Palmas. In Austria, he registered six Champions League appearances, but the departure of Pep Lijnders, “a key ally for Bajcetic,” cut that stint short. At Las Palmas, he made 14 La Liga appearances, with some observers even likening him to Sergio Busquets. “I don’t think you can get much higher praise than that for a defensive midfielder,” said Lynch.

Defensive Numbers Impress, But Caveats Remain

Analysing his statistics, Lynch described Bajcetic as “a bit of a defensive monster.” He ranked highly in tackles, interceptions and aerial duels, and Lynch noted, “He won 59% of his challenges in La Liga and 45.3% of his tackles… quite impressive numbers.”

However, Lynch was careful to inject context: “Las Palmas did get relegated, so there’s a lot of chances to do these things… they’re coming up against bigger and better opponents.” In short, inflated defensive stats might reflect circumstance as much as ability.

Photo: IMAGO

Possession Play a Concern Under Slot’s System

Bajcetic’s struggles in possession may pose problems under Arne Slot, who Lynch notes demands “a bit more patient” and “careful” football. Compared to Klopp’s more direct approach, Slot’s style could expose Bajcetic’s weaknesses.

“There’s a lot of red and low percentiles,” Lynch remarked while reviewing Bajcetic’s possession stats. He added bluntly, “74.8 pass completion, that is a serious red flag… particularly because it’s not under Jurgen Klopp, it’s under Arne Slot.”

Even Bajcetic’s attacking contribution was dismissed: “Take my word for it, it’s very, very much on the low side of things.”

Head-to-Head With Wataru Endo

Lynch offered a direct comparison with Wataru Endo, noting, “Bajcetic is doing more defensive things in a worse team, but Endo is still showing up quite well in the defensive numbers even in a Liverpool team that challenged for the title.”

Photo: IMAGO

When it comes to ball retention and distribution, the gap widens. “He’s passing the ball much, much better… it’s an underrated element of Endo’s game.”

Lynch concluded decisively: “It would be a struggle if Bajcetic were to come into the squad now to directly challenge Endo for that place.”

What’s Next?

Given Endo’s intent to stay at Liverpool — “He wants to stick around… he doesn’t want to give up on the dream of staying at Anfield” — and Bajcetic’s need for regular minutes, Lynch advocated for another loan: “The ideal situation is that he goes out on loan for another season.”

The most telling line perhaps came when Lynch reflected on Arne Slot’s initial decision: “He was loaned out with such speed by Arne Slot last summer… I think he saw immediately that Bajcetic wasn’t ready.”

The analysis is as clinical as it is fair. While Stefan Bajcetic remains a player of promise, his immediate future at Liverpool appears uncertain. For now, another loan move seems the best path forward — not a failure, but a necessary step in a long-term journey.