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Arne Slot shares what he really thought about Stefan Bajcetic’s display for Liverpool vs Real Betis
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has delivered his verdict on young Stefan Bajcetic’s performance in the friendly win over Real Betis.
The new Reds head coach got his first win under the belt in the United States thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai’s first-half goal late on Friday night.
It wasn’t the best performance by any means, but that is understandable considering that it was their first game in front of a crowd under their new boss.
Liverpool still have several positives to take, and the return of young Bejcetic is definitely one of them.
Arne Slot delivers verdict on Liverpool’s Stefan Bajcetic
Bajcetic is one of Liverpool’s brightest young talents.
The teenager burst onto the scene in the 2022/23 season under Jurgen Klopp and impressed everyone with his performances in the middle of the park.
Many people saw Bajcetic as the future of Liverpool’s midfield, but unfortunately for the youngster, he has been affected by fitness issues.
Since March 2023, Bajcetic has been out of action for 271 days. He managed to make just three appearances for the Reds in Klopp’s final season at the club.
Bajectic, branded as ‘‘ by Dean Jones, has been working hard on his fitness, and he got an opportunity against Real Betis in the United States on Friday night.
The Spaniard replaced Szoboszlai in the 64th minute, and he had his moments. However, you could tell that he has been out for a while as he got caught on the ball on a few occasions.
Slot was asked about Bajcetic after the game, and the Dutchman praised the good things he saw in the midfielder but also highlighted what he didn’t like.
However, he admitted that Bajcetic deserves more time as he has been out for a long time.
Slot told : “I think you have to take into account with Stefan that he was out for a year, one-and-a-half years almost. So if a young player is out for that long, you have to give him some time.
“But I saw today already a few good moments from him and also a few moments where he got caught because he acted a bit too slow. But I think that’s normal if you’ve been out for such a long time [and] then you need rhythm, you need game time to grow even further.
“But I think he showed some good moments during the half-hour that he played.”
The latest on Bajcetic’s Liverpool future
Liverpool are on the market for a new midfielder this summer.
The Reds need a top-class player to start alongside Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister in the middle of the park, and they are definitely looking for one.
Bajcetic, who has missed a lot of football, has been attracting a lot of interest from several sides. Many clubs want to sign him.
However, reports have revealed that Bajcetic has absolutely no interest in leaving Liverpool and has decided to stay and fight for his place.
Liverpool take on Arsenal in their next pre-season game, and it will be interesting to see if Bajcetic will get a few minutes in that fixture.