Stefan Bajcetic comeback timeline: When might Liverpool’s injury-hit young star return?

 

 

 

Three years on from his Liverpool first-team breakthrough, Stefan Bajcetic appears further away than ever from re-establishing himself at Anfield.

Now 21, the midfielder’s progress has been repeatedly derailed by injuries since an adductor problem halted his breakout campaign in March 2023. Subsequent calf and back issues ruined the following season, eventually leading to surgery last summer. His most recent appearance for Liverpool came in a 4-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in Jürgen Klopp’s penultimate home match, while loan spells at Red Bull Salzburg and Las Palmas during 2024/25 at least offered him some regular minutes.

Unfortunately, Bajcetic has suffered further setbacks this season and has not played any competitive football for the past eight months. According to The Athletic, he had hoped to push for a first-team role before Christmas, but a new hamstring injury is expected to rule him out until at least the end of January, effectively ending any chance of another loan move this month.

As a result, the Spaniard may have to settle for under-21 football for the rest of the campaign, unless he can impress Arne Slot before the summer. When Bajcetic first emerged three years ago, he was widely regarded as a player with “serious, serious potential,” and his standout display in a Merseyside derby victory at Anfield underlined his high ceiling.

However, persistent injuries have stalled his development, and since his breakthrough in early 2023, Liverpool’s midfield has undergone a major overhaul, making it even harder for him to reclaim a place or challenge for regular starts. Even once fully fit, he would need time to regain sharpness and is unlikely to be ready for the demands of key Premier League and Champions League fixtures late in the season.

Still, Bajcetic has shown he can make an impact. He was described as a physical “bull” during his loan spell at Las Palmas, and at just 21, he still has time to put his injury troubles behind him and build a successful top-level career. The journey back may be slow, but there remains hope that he can rediscover the form of his breakthrough season and become a genuine first-team option for Slot in 2026.