Ex-Red set to play HUGE role in major Liverpool January transfer

As far as the loan market goes, Liverpool’s youngsters have had it good this season.

Ben Doak, Owen Beck and Lewis Koumas have been going strong in their Championship loans to Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City, respectively, while Luke Chambers was enjoying a hot streak at League One Wigan Athletic before suffering an injury.

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One loan spell that hasn’t been as fruitful, however, is Stefan Bajcetic’s at Red Bull Salzburg.

After winning 10 straight league titles between 2011-12 and 2022-23, Salzburg has a disastrous start under former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders. He was sacked as manager in mid-December and the side currently sit 5th in the Austrian Bundesliga, 10 points adrift of top spot.

Bajcetic’s fate hasn’t been much better. He’s started seven of the 12 league games he’s been available for and Salzburg’s only non-defeat in the Champions League - a 3-1 win away at Feyenoord - came with Bajcetic out of the squad with illness.

As a result, it is expected that Liverpool could recall the defensive midfielder to find him a more agreeable loan placement. But a former Red may scupper his best chances.

Spanish outlet El Gol Digital are reporting that Real Betis are looking to bolster their midfield options this transfer window, with a loan for Bajcetic a serious possibility.

The report says that this “is the idea that his agents have now, since they hope that he will have quality minutes”.

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However, the other option they are considering is the lesser-spotted Arthur.

The Brazilian joined Liverpool on loan from Juventus for the 2022-23 season and spent basically the entirety of it on the injury list. He made a 13 minute cameo in Liverpool’s opening Champions League game that season - a 4-1 defeat to Napoli - and was never seen in the senior side again.

Last season was better for the Brazilian, making 48 appearances in all competitions for Fiorentina on loan.

He is clearly out of favour at Juventus, given two straight seasons on loan, and a move to Betis would make sense.

But his competition with Bajcetic is a wonderful irony given the time wasted at Anfield. If he were to scupper the youngster’s chances at developing at the top level what little good faith he had left in the Liverpool fandom would be all but gone.

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