Stefan Bajcetic stated that Liverpool was the ‘only one for me’.
Conor Bradley claimed that he chose to join the Reds because of the family atmosphere. Cody Gakpo even acknowledged to holding negotiations with Liverpool’s most bitter rivals.
Nonetheless, all three declined offers from Manchester United in favour of moves to Liverpool. And they all play an important role in the club’s current and future.
Bradley has had a successful breakout season, profiting from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fitness difficulties. As Jurgen Klopp has stated, the 20-year-old is no longer seen as a developing star.
Gakpo made a surprise £44 million move to Merseyside in January 2023, when it appeared that Old Trafford was his likely destination. The 24-year-old has 18 goals and six assists in 64 games and is yet to reach his peak.
Bajcetic has had a rough 2023-24 season, with only two appearances due to growth issues that Liverpool has been wary about. However, the 19-year-old was a rare ray of hope in last season’s bleak campaign. He made 19 appearances in total, and the fact that he was forced to have adductor surgery and miss the next three months only added to his impressive performance.
When it comes to bragging rights, Liverpool and United are squarely on the west side of the M62. Klopp’s team is once again vying for the Premier League title, having won it in 2020 and becoming European champions in 2019. Meanwhile, United continues to fall far short of where fans expect the team to be. The best they can expect for this season is to win the FA Cup, but Liverpool may dash those hopes when they meet at Old Trafford on Sunday week.
Bradley and Gakpo will be part of the team that faces Erik ten Hag’s side. Bajcetic may not, as he continues to work his way back to full strength. However, another member of Klopp’s squad may have turned down United in favour of Liverpool.
Bobby Clark will still be savouring his complete Premier League debut in last weekend’s dramatic 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. In the midst of an injury crisis, the 19-year-old was given an opportunity right away, which was not surprising. Clark is highly valued by Klopp and his coaching staff, to the point where he was called up to play in the Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea. The England youth international came off the bench in the 72nd minute, and his deflected shot resulted in the corner that led to Virgil van Dijk’s winning goal.
Clark signed Liverpool from Newcastle United in the summer of 2021 for a fee estimated to be about £1.5 million. The midfielder was sought when it was revealed he was leaving the Magpies, with The Athletic stating that Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Leeds were all interested. The Reds, on the other hand, are alleged to have gone ‘additional miles’ to acquire Clark.
His father, former Newcastle midfielder Lee Clark, stated: “Liverpool were continually making sure Bobby knew how much they wanted him. He went down there for a couple days and saw the AXA Training Centre and Anfield. They shocked him with how much they knew about him. Everyone was involved, including Jurgen, Alex Inglethorpe (academy director), and Barry Hunter (chief scout). They informed him that he was being signed to be a first-team player, not to aid the under-18s or under-21s. It was the only place he wanted to visit.”
With Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch, Thiago Alcantara, and Bajcetic still out injured, Clark appears to be a lock in Klopp’s squad for this week’s games against Sparta Prague and then the Premier League title clash with Manchester City. He hopes to play as well as he did in the Carabao Cup final.
