Stefan Bajcetic comeback timeline: When might the injury-hit youngster return for Liverpool?

Three years on from his Liverpool first-team breakthrough, Stefan Bajcetic appears more distant than ever from reclaiming his place.

Now 21, the midfielder’s progress has been repeatedly derailed by injury. His promising 2022/23 campaign was halted by an adductor problem in March 2023, before calf and back issues disrupted the following season, ultimately leading to surgery last summer. His most recent outing for the Reds came in a 4–2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in Jürgen Klopp’s second-to-last home match, though loan spells with Red Bull Salzburg and Las Palmas in 2024/25 at least allowed him some regular game time.

Unfortunately, further fitness setbacks have followed this season, with Bajcetic failing to feature in any competitive match for the past eight months.

According to The Athletic, he had been hoping to push for first-team involvement at Liverpool before Christmas, but a new hamstring injury is expected to keep him sidelined until at least the end of January. That blow has effectively ruled out the possibility of another loan move this month.

As a result, the Spaniard may have to settle for under-21 football for the remainder of the season, unless he can somehow catch Arne Slot’s eye before the summer.

When Bajcetic first emerged three years ago, he was widely tipped as a player with “serious, serious potential,” and his standout display in a Merseyside derby win at Anfield showcased just how high his ceiling could be. However, persistent injuries have stalled his development, and since his breakout, Liverpool’s midfield has undergone a major overhaul, making his path back into contention even tougher.

Even once he is fully fit, he would likely need several games to regain match sharpness, leaving him unlikely to be ready for the demands of decisive Premier League and Champions League fixtures late in the campaign.

Still, Bajcetic has shown he can make a meaningful impact — earning praise as a physical “bull” during his loan spell at Las Palmas — and at just 21, time remains on his side. While his return may be slow and far from straightforward, there is hope that he can rediscover the form of his breakthrough season and eventually re-establish himself as a genuine first-team option under Slot in 2026.