Bajcetic Nears Celta Vigo Move as Liverpool Midfield Weakens
Stefan Bajcetic is edging towards the Anfield exit, with Celta Vigo now pushing hard to take the Liverpool midfielder back to Spain.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reported on X that Celta are “closing in on personal terms agreement” with the 21-year-old. It is the clearest sign yet that Bajcetic’s future lies away from Merseyside, even though his Liverpool contract runs until 2027.
That deal may not reach its natural end. An early termination or negotiated settlement is expected to be needed to unlock the move, and Liverpool are not positioning themselves as an obstacle. The club recognise a player whose trajectory has stalled: injuries have repeatedly checked his progress, and loan spells have failed to restore the spark of his breakthrough months.
La Liga Calling
The move is not just at the talking stage. Reports have placed Bajcetic in Finland for fitness checks, a key step as Celta Vigo work to ensure he is ready for the demands of La Liga.
Those details underline the seriousness of the operation. This is not a speculative enquiry or a casual conversation between clubs. All parties are working towards the same outcome: a fresh start for a midfielder whose development has been stuck in limbo.
For Liverpool, it is another piece in a summer of churn under Andoni Iraola. Bajcetic once looked capable of carving out a long-term role at Anfield, particularly when he first broke into the side and brought a mix of composure and bite in midfield. That window has narrowed dramatically. Injuries cut into his rhythm, competition increased, and his path back into the first-team picture has become harder to see.
A Midfield Being Stripped Back
Bajcetic’s likely departure drops into a wider, more uncomfortable storyline for Liverpool supporters: players are leaving, but the replacements are not yet walking through the door.
Curtis Jones has already completed a permanent switch to Inter Milan. Now Bajcetic is moving closer to Celta. On paper, both exits can be rationalised. On the pitch, the midfield looks lighter, not stronger.
At the same time, Liverpool’s attacking plans are still stuck in the “talks and targets” phase. Interest in Yankuba Minteh has cooled after initial momentum. Ibrahim Mbaye is no longer being pushed as a priority. Bradley Barcola remains a key name on the list, but that pursuit has yet to reach a decisive stage.
Against that backdrop, allowing Bajcetic to go may make sense on an individual level – a young player needs minutes, a clear role, and a league that suits him. But it feeds into a larger concern: Liverpool are trimming options before visibly rebuilding them.
A Window Under Scrutiny
From an Anfield perspective, the frustration is not just about losing Bajcetic. It is about what his exit represents.
Liverpool have already waved goodbye to Jones. They are now prepared to move on from another young midfielder who once looked like part of the club’s future. Supporters are being asked to trust a process that, so far, has produced more stories about stalled negotiations and cooled interest than completed signings.
If Iraola and the recruitment team have decided Bajcetic is not in their long-term plan, that is a clear strategic call. But then the alternative has to appear quickly. The midfield already feels short on certainty, legs and variety. Each outgoing without a corresponding incoming only sharpens the sense of risk.
For Bajcetic, Celta Vigo could be the reset his career badly needs, a return to Spain and a league that might suit his technical profile and allow him to rebuild his confidence. Many Liverpool fans will genuinely hope it works out for him.
Yet the message this move sends about Liverpool’s summer is harder to ignore. Once again, the departures are moving faster than the arrivals. And with the season creeping closer, the question hangs in the air: how long can a club with Liverpool’s ambitions afford to keep cutting before it starts to properly rebuild?
