Stefan Bajcetic Injury Update Leaves Liverpool Waiting Again as Andoni Iraola Assesses Midfield Options

Liverpool are back for pre-season, but one familiar problem has followed them through the doors at Kirkby. Stefan Bajcetic remains unavailable, and that matters. Not because he is currently central to the side, but because after such a long absence, every missed session pushes the reset button back another few days.

Andoni Iraola has walked into a squad short on numbers for a few reasons. Some players are away after international involvement, some are still recovering, and some are simply not ready. Bajcetic falls into that last category. The 21-year-old has not played a single minute of football at any level last season, and for a player once viewed as a high-upside midfield option, that is a serious block in his development.

Andoni Iraola outlines Liverpool injury picture

The new Liverpool head coach gave a clear, unsentimental update on the state of the squad. He said: “Probably the worst news when we arrived is that we have, I would say, five players injured – even [Jayden] Danns, who couldn’t start with us because he got injured with the under-21s. Obviously they are different injuries. Three of them are long-term injuries, different phases.

“Then we have Stefan [Bajcetic] that is doing slowly, slowly better but is still not ready to train with us, and waiting also for Wataru [Endo].”

That is the key line. Bajcetic is improving, but he is not training with the group. Improvement without availability only goes so far. Pre-season is where players reclaim rhythm, confidence and sharpness. Missing that window is costly, particularly for someone who has already lost a year.

Contract situation sharpens the decision

Bajcetic is now in the final 12 months of his contract. That changes the conversation. Liverpool need clarity, the player needs clarity, and there is little point dressing it up. If he cannot get fit and show he can contribute, this becomes a market decision as much as a football one.

Spanish clubs are reportedly interested, which is no surprise. There is still a player here worth gambling on. He showed composure, bite and intelligence when he first broke through in 2023. The issue is not talent. The issue is availability, and in elite football availability decides almost everything.

Pre-season chance slips away for Liverpool midfielder

This is where the timing hurts. Summer friendlies would have been ideal for Bajcetic. Low-stakes minutes, managed workloads and a route back into proper match rhythm. Instead, he remains on a slower track, which suggests any comeback will be phased rather than immediate.

Iraola’s wording does at least indicate that Bajcetic is still part of the thinking. There is no sense of him being discarded. But inclusion in plans means little until the player can train properly and stay healthy. That is the baseline.

For Liverpool, this is a waiting game. For Bajcetic, it is more than that. It is a crossroads. If he gets fit, there may still be a role for him. If not, the club and player will need to make a hard call before this drifts any further.

For more on Liverpool pre-season and the latest Stefan Bajcetic injury update, supporters will be hoping the next bulletin contains one thing missing from this one, a firm return date.