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Liverpool star’s loan spell ‘cut short’ after difficult first half of season – as he ‘prepares to move to Spain’ on another temporary stint

Liverpool midfielder Stefan Bajcetic is reportedly set to join Las Palmas after agreeing to terminate his loan at Red Bull Salzburg.

Bajcetic, 20, broke into Liverpool’s team during the second half of the 2022-23 season, impressing at the base of midfield.

However, he endured an injury-ravaged campaign last time out, making just three appearances in all competitions, before he joined Salzburg in the summer in search of regular gametime.

Bajcetic has endured a difficult spell in Austria, making just eight starts across 19 appearances, amid a tricky time for the club.

Jurgen Klopp’s former assistant Pep Lijnders was the manager who took Bajcetic to Salzburg, but he was sacked in December after winning just 13 of his 29 games in charge.

Salzburg currently sit fifth in the Austrian top flight despite having won the title in 10 of the past 11 seasons, while they came 34th out of 36 teams in the Champions League League Phase.

Stefan Bajcetic is set to join Las Palmas after agreeing to terminate his loan at Red Bull Salzburg

High hopes were expected of Bajcetic, who was joined at the club by former Liverpool youngster Bobby Clark, but the midfielder has played an increasingly peripheral role.

He hasn’t started a game since December 7, while the 20-year-old has found himself down the pecking order under new boss Thomas Letsch.

The Spain Under 21 international came off the bench for the final five minutes of their 4-1 loss by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Despite this, according to The Athletic, Liverpool were happy with his game time and expected Bajcetic to remain at the club until after the Club World Cup in June, with no January recall clause in the loan deal.

Nevertheless, Bajcetic has been increasingly keen to move on, particular after the departure of Lijnders last month. 

The report adds that given Salzburg had paid a significant loan fee to prize Bajcetic away from Anfield for the season, any potential departure was complicated.

Yet, with an understanding that he was unlikely to be a regular, the Austrian club sanctioned his exit. 

It is believed that Porto and Getafe were interested in the former Celta Vigo youngster alongside Las Palmas, but Bajcetic chose the LaLiga outfit and is expected to complete his move later this week.

Las Palmas are based in Gran Canaria and sit 15th in the Spanish top flight, with former Premier League stars including Scott McKenna, Oli McBurnie and Adnan Januzaj currently among their squad.

Bajcetic will now hope to secure a regular run of starts before impressing Reds boss Arne Slot in pre-season as he tries to return to the level he was at when he initially broke through at Anfield two years ago. 

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