Bajcetic told to tear up Liverpool deal to seal Celta Vigo return on a free

Stefan Bajcetic has been told he must walk away from his Liverpool contract early if he wants to complete a permanent return to Celta Vigo, the Spanish club where he developed as a youth player.

The 21-year-old has not appeared for Liverpool’s first team in more than two years, his progress derailed by a series of injuries and two loan spells — at Red Bull Salzburg and Las Palmas. Manager Andoni Iraola has made clear that Bajcetic is not part of his plans, and the club are actively seeking a permanent exit for the midfielder whose contract runs until June 2027.

Spanish newspaper Faro de Vigo reports that Celta Vigo want Bajcetic to terminate his deal — as Mohamed Salah did this summer before joining Trabzonspor — and re-sign on a free transfer. The Galician club would initially reintegrate him through their under-21 side as a means of restoring his fitness and sharpness.

Celta head coach Claudio Giráldez acknowledged the connection without committing to a deal. “He’s a homegrown player; I don’t talk about players we don’t have,” Giráldez said. “If he’s happy and we can reach an agreement, it would be a good situation. I coached him. If it happens, great.”

Bajcetic joined Liverpool from Celta’s academy in 2020 and made a promising impression under Jürgen Klopp before injuries curtailed his development. He had also been linked with a move to Getafe, but Celta are now reported to be leading the chase.

Liverpool’s summer business continues to move quickly. Curtis Jones completed a £30 million transfer to Inter Milan on Friday, and the club remain in pursuit of further additions before the window closes on 1 September. Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola is understood to be their primary target, while a second bid of £60 million for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh has been rejected, with the south-coast club holding out for £70 million.

“Some deals you have to wait until the end,” Iraola said this week. “But the end is the important picture, the one we will have on September 1, because it is true that we are still quite thin.”