Liverpool 'top boy' expected to take on new 'key role' under Arne Slot that could push out £16m signing

Liverpool have a lot of decisions to make this summer as they approach their first summer transfer window without Jurgen Klopp. It is now just a matter of weeks before the iconic manager departs from Anfield, leaving a big space to fill behind him.

Arne Slot, who is expected to be announced as Klopp’s successor, has a lot of work to do once he arrives at the club and the bulk of his first responsibilities will be to decide which players have a future under him.

Three players are already headed for the door upon the expiration of their contracts this season, but others have been linked with summer transfers to new clubs as well. Whether Liverpool will cash in on these players remains to be confirmed but a recent report from Football Insider has made a big claim for Stefan Bajčetić’s future.

The 19-year-old has been heavily tipped to be a real force to be reckoned with for the Reds but due to ongoing injury problems, he has made just 22 senior appearances since 2022. Bajčetić has spent the majority of this season recovering from injury and trying to get his fitness levels up.

He played at right-back in the Europa League back in September, but was ruled out up until Liverpool’s latest Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur, where he made his long-awaited return as a substitute.

Now, the report claims that sources say Bajčetić is set to play a ‘key role’ under Slot, which may mean the Reds do not have to splash out on signing a new number six this summer. Since last summer’s midfield exodus, Liverpool have been scrambling to fill the gaps and after losing long-standing target Roméo Lavia to Chelsea, they quickly signed Wataru Endō for £16 million.

The Japanese international has been a solid recruit for the Reds in his debut season, but after Fabinho’s departure, the club have been linked with other defensive midfielders. Bajčetić, who started to slip to the back of many minds during his long absence, could now be ready to receive a huge boost under new management.

If the 19-year-old stays fit, there’s a big chance that he could muscle Endō out of the starting lineup. Bajčetić has long been predicted to produce great things at Anfield, and Klopp has always been a big fan of his. Last year, the boss commented on how happy he was with the teenager’s performances, and lauded him as a ‘top boy’ who is ‘really smart and calm’. Now, with injuries hopefully behind him, Bajčetić could be ready to make the full step up and become a key part of the Slot era.