With Stefan Bajcetic set to join Red Bull Salzburg on loan for next season, manager Arne Slot has reiterated that the midfielder can still be “a very important player” for Liverpool.
It would be surprising for Liverpool to let one of their brightest young talents go on loan, but Slot has assured supporters that the move will not be a denigration of Bycetic’s career as a Liverpool player.
Instead, the manager explained how a year at Austrian Bundesliga side Pep Lijnders’ Salzburg could help his long-term future at Liverpool.
“I hope it’s a big year for him because he’s a very talented player and I think he can be a very important player for us, but he needs to play right now,” Slot told reporters including Paul Joyce.
“When you’re that young and haven’t played for that long, all you need is some playing time.
The slot was referring to the fact that Bycetic only played 234 minutes of football between the youth and first team last season. He suffered a number of injuries, but the biggest one was a calf problem.
The manager continued: “He can play here too, but we have six or seven very good midfielders, so his playing time here will always be more limited than when he played at Salzburg.
“So I think it’s best for him and for us to get him playing now rather than having him play a few games and then sit on the bench for a long time.
“It’s very difficult to maintain the condition of a player who hasn’t played for 15 months because you only let him play occasionally. So this is something that needs to be done long-term.
“Let me say this again, this club made a wise choice considering not only short-term benefits but also long-term interests.
“At least in our opinion, it’s a wise decision to send him somewhere where he can play a lot of games.
“Then next season we will have the player. If he shows his potential, (he) can definitely, definitely play for us in the future.”
Of course, fans love seeing Liverpool bring in new players, but supporters take even greater pride in seeing the club’s academy graduates become integral to first-team success.
Baičetic has the potential to become a great player for Liverpool and the Reds have decided this loan move is the best next step to get him there.
