Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted he had forgotten Stefan Bajcetic had played for the club this season due to the youngster’s lengthy injury absence.
However, the teenager is nearing a full recovery and might play a role in Liverpool’s quest to win the Premier League and Europa League before Klopp leaves.
The 19-year-old began for the Reds in a 3-1 Europa League victory over LASK in September before coming off the bench a week later in the Carabao Cup against Leicester at Anfield, with both games coming at right back.
Bajcetic has been sidelined since then due to growth-related issues, and following a small ‘pre-season’ during the international break, he will increase his training with the under-21s before joining the main group.
Speaking at his press conference ahead of the Brighton game, Klopp stated that the Spaniard is making progress in his rehabilitation and wants him to follow in the footsteps of Conor Bradley, who recovered from a long-term injury to force his way into the senior squad.
When asked for an update on Bajcetic, Klopp said: “Football-wise, he is a natural; he hasn’t lost anything there, but rhythm is something different. He is now in partial training with the U21s and will begin full training with them next week. After that, he will join us for training. That is the plan. Then we’ll see.
“However, the boy grew. He has gained some muscle and appears to be in good shape. Conor Bradley didn’t need much time after being sidelined for so long. He’s a bright child. I think he’ll be alright. But, what do I know? I haven’t been injured for too long in that age range.”
He added: “He watched a lot of football, but he didn’t play with us on a daily basis. I forget he played for us earlier in the season, and everything went wrong. But now that he’s almost back, I’m overjoyed for him and for us.”
