Stefan Bajcetic’s potential could reportedly stop Liverpool from signing Romeo Lavia, with the Reds unwilling to break the bank for the Southampton star due to their own teenage midfielder.
According to the Times, the Anfield side aren’t fully convinced yet on spending over the odds to sign the Belgian international whilst they still have Bajcetic, who last season broke into Liverpool’s senior team with impressive results.
With the Spanish youngster expected to play a bigger role for Liverpool next season, it make sense why Jurgen Klopp’s side are reluctant to spend big on Lavia when Bajcetic is arguably just as promising.
However, given how different the two players are, Liverpool would still be better off having both Bajcetic and Lavia on their books, with the Southampton star’s potential noted by Total Football Analysis as being ‘ridiculous’.
Yet signing Lavia could pose a threat to Bajcetic’s first-team chances, especially if Liverpool end up overpaying for the 19-year-old, who will be fighting for a starting XI spot almost immediately.
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Indeed, Bajcetic and Lavia have the potential to form part of Liverpool’s midfield for the next ten years, yet the Reds face a real issue now in finding an agreement with Southampton to sign the Belgian.
Lavia and Bajcetic will provide healthy competition at Liverpool
There’s good reason why Liverpool are hesitant to overspend on Lavia with Bajcetic one of the best midfield prospects in all of Europe. Yet the duo could and likely will work well together in the future.
Competition, especially for two teenage players, can breed success and help push an athlete past their ceiling, and Bajcetic and Lavia could provide that for each other in the years to come.
Although Liverpool have their reasons for not wanting to pay too much for Lavia, Bajcetic’s quality could help him and his new teammate better themselves in ways few would have predicted.