For most of the summer, Liverpool’s midfield has been one of the biggest talking points surrounding the club.
There were questions over the futures of several players, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai both previously linked with possible departures.
Neither player ended up leaving.
In fact, Szoboszlai has even been offered a new contract to secure his future at Anfield.
Instead, the midfielder who eventually departed was Curtis Jones, with the academy graduate completing his move to Inter Milan.
And now Liverpool appear to have another midfield decision to make.
This time, it concerns Stefan Bajcetic.
Bajcetic finally looked ready to return
Bajcetic has endured an incredibly frustrating few years.
The Spaniard burst onto the scene and looked like he could become a long-term solution in Liverpool’s midfield.
His ability to read the game, win the ball and play from deep made him particularly exciting.
But injuries have seriously disrupted his development.
He has spent much of the last few seasons on the sidelines, meaning Liverpool supporters have barely had the chance to see what he can become.
That’s why this pre-season was so important.
For the first time in a long time, Bajcetic was able to get a proper run of football under his belt.
And that made the latest transfer reports particularly surprising.
Bajcetic could be leaving
According to journalist Matteo Moretto, a transfer to Celta Vigo is now “all but sealed.”
If that proves to be correct, Liverpool would be allowing a player who many supporters once viewed as a potential answer to their midfield problems to leave.
And that’s what makes this decision so intriguing.
Because Liverpool are reportedly looking for greater defensive balance in midfield.
Yet they could be about to lose one of the few natural defensive midfielders already at the club.
Where does this leave Liverpool?
This is the part I struggle with.
Liverpool’s midfield already looks short of experience and defensive security.
Curtis Jones has gone.
The club have reportedly decided that they don’t necessarily need a specialist No.6 in Iraola’s system.
And now Bajcetic could be heading out of the door.
So who actually provides the defensive protection?
Ryan Gravenberch?
Alexis Mac Allister?
Could Andoni Iraola turn another midfielder into that role?
Perhaps.
But it’s a big gamble.
Bajcetic could have been useful
I’m not saying Bajcetic should automatically be Liverpool’s starting midfielder.
There are still questions over his fitness and consistency.
But having a natural defensive midfielder available gives a manager options.
Especially over a season involving the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.
There will be injuries.
There will be suspensions.
There will be games where Liverpool need someone capable of sitting in front of the defence.
Bajcetic could potentially have provided exactly that.
Is this the right decision for Bajcetic?
From the player’s perspective, I can understand the move.
At this stage of his career, he needs regular football.
He doesn’t need another season where he’s sitting on the bench or spending weeks recovering from another setback.
If Celta can offer him consistent minutes, it could be the best thing for his development.
He needs to play.
He needs rhythm.
He needs confidence.
And, most importantly, he needs to stay fit.
A successful season away from Liverpool could potentially give him another opportunity at Anfield in the future.
Or could Liverpool be moving on?
There is another possibility.
Perhaps Liverpool’s coaching staff simply don’t believe Bajcetic is the answer anymore.
Football moves incredibly quickly.
A player can look like the future one year and find himself outside the plans a couple of seasons later.
Iraola may have looked at his midfield options and decided that Bajcetic doesn’t fit what he wants from the position.
If that’s the case, a permanent departure would make more sense.
But it would still leave Liverpool with a major question to answer.
Liverpool need midfield balance
The Newcastle game highlighted the problem.
Liverpool dominated possession but were repeatedly vulnerable when Newcastle broke forward.
The midfield looked too attacking at times.
There wasn’t always enough protection in front of the defence.
That’s something Iraola needs to fix quickly.
And if Bajcetic leaves, Liverpool will need to be absolutely certain they have another solution.
Because you can’t spend an entire season relying on possession to protect you.
Eventually, the best teams will punish you.
Liverpool have a big decision to make
If Moretto’s report is correct and Bajcetic’s move to Celta is indeed almost complete, Liverpool will have made a significant decision about their midfield.
They’ve already allowed Jones to leave.
They’ve apparently decided against prioritising a specialist No.6.
And now Bajcetic could also be on his way out.
That’s a lot of change.
Perhaps Iraola has a completely different vision for Liverpool’s midfield.
Perhaps the collective pressing system will work exactly as the club expects.
But if it doesn’t?
Liverpool could regret allowing Bajcetic to leave without bringing in another midfielder.
My verdict
I wouldn’t necessarily block Bajcetic’s move.
The most important thing for him right now is playing football and staying fit.
But I would want Liverpool to have a clear plan before allowing him to leave.
If Bajcetic goes to Celta and Liverpool don’t sign another midfielder, they’re taking a huge gamble.
Liverpool need to compete on four fronts.
They need depth.
They need defensive balance.
And they need players who can step in when things aren’t going according to plan.
Stefan Bajcetic might not be the answer.
But with Liverpool’s midfield already looking thin, I’m not convinced the Reds should be so quick to remove another option.
Because if the Newcastle game taught us anything, it’s this:
Liverpool’s midfield needs more balance — not fewer options.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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