Liverpool's Midfield Gamble: No Replacement for Jones or Bajcetic
Liverpool are braced to lose a second midfielder in quick succession – and they still don’t plan to buy a replacement.
Curtis Jones has already gone, completing a £30m move to Inter Milan, and now Stefan Bajcetic is on the brink of following him out of Anfield. Yet the club’s recruitment focus is fixed somewhere else entirely.
Midfield debate rages – but Liverpool dig in
Central midfield has become the flashpoint of Liverpool’s summer. Wataru Endo is the only natural defensive midfielder in the squad, but the 31-year-old is clearly not viewed as a starter ahead of Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai or Alexis Mac Allister.
On paper, the sale of Jones looked like the trigger for a specialist holding midfielder to arrive. The structure of the squad, the balance of profiles, the noise from supporters – everything pointed that way.
Liverpool see it differently.
Graeme Bailey revealed earlier in the week that the club had decided against signing another midfielder, and that stance has now been reinforced by The Athletic’s Liverpool reporter James Pearce. The message from inside the club is blunt: no new midfielder.
Pearce wrote that, despite the clamour for reinforcements in the middle of the pitch – a debate that only grew louder after the dramatic 2-2 draw with Newcastle – senior figures insist the priority remains out wide in attack. The plan is to strengthen the forward line, not the engine room.
The internal hierarchy is already set. Szoboszlai, Gravenberch and Mac Allister will contest the two starting roles. Behind them, the club have effectively handed a promotion to 16-year-old Trey Nyoni, who is now viewed as fourth choice. Endo sits as the fifth option, cover rather than cornerstone.
“They don’t intend to replace Jones, as they see teenager Trey Nyoni as ready to step up and play a bigger part this season,” Pearce reported. Unless something changes at the top of the club, the only new faces will be attackers.
Bajcetic set for Celta Vigo return
Against that backdrop, Liverpool are moving out another midfielder.
Stefan Bajcetic, one of the few genuine defensive-minded options in the squad, is close to leaving on a permanent deal. The Spaniard’s time in England has been badly disrupted by injuries, stalling the momentum that once made him one of the most exciting prospects at the club.
Now 21 and entering the final year of his contract, Bajcetic is set to return to former club Celta Vigo. Trusted reporter Matteo Moretto reports that Liverpool and Celta already have a club-to-club agreement in place.
The fee is only described as nominal. The real value for Liverpool lies in a sell-on clause, inserted with an eye on the future. If Bajcetic can stay fit and rebuild his career back in La Liga, the Reds could cash in later.
Fabrizio Romano has added that Celta and Bajcetic are now close to agreeing personal terms as well, with the move edging towards completion.
So Liverpool head into the new season having cashed in on Jones, prepared to let Bajcetic go for a modest sum, and still without plans to recruit a new holding midfielder. Faith in youth, trust in versatility, and a clear bet on wide attacking firepower.
If the gamble in midfield pays off, it will look bold. If it doesn’t, this summer’s decisions will be revisited all season long.
