Liverpool have finally been given some good news regarding their injury problems.
The Reds have been battling with fitness issues within the squad over the past couple of months. Having navigated them superbly, they’re now starting to see some progress.
Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai have already returned to action, while Ryan Gravenberch is back in training. Jurgen Klopp also gave a positive update on Diogo Jota this afternoon.
Furthermore, Klopp used his pre-Manchester United press conference today to provide some excellent news on Stefan Bajcetic.
“Stefan is pretty much now in his pre-season to make him physically ready,” the manager explained. “At the moment if he feels something it’s not injuries, it’s intensity. We have to make sure that we don’t use him before he’s ready. What happened before was that the body wasn’t ready for the intensity that professional football is asking for.
“He’s in a much better place now. It’s been a long time unfortunately, a very long time. We have to wait now a little bit. But he’s in his pre-season and I think he will be part of team training after the international break.”
Bajcetic back in training
Bajcetic last played minutes for Liverpool in the Carabao Cup clash with Leicester City on October 5th.
That was just his second run out of the season, having started against LASK in the Reds’ Europa League group stage opener.
However, it isn’t just the six months between then and now that Bajcetic has been missing for. Prior to his appearance against Leicester, the 19-year-old had already been out of action since February.
Add all of that together, and Bajcetic has played just twice in 12 months. Having such a big injury at a young age is rarely good news for a player’s future.
As Klopp says though, Liverpool are taking all the precautions they can with Stefan. They have to get it right this time.
If the Spain U21 international makes it back onto the pitch this season it will have been a success. After a really impressive breakthrough last year Bajcetic will have been hoping for a big role this time around.
Giving the injuries Liverpool have had elsewhere in the squad, he definitely would have had that, too. In a parallel universe this was the season that Bajcetic nailed down his spot as an undisputed starter. That can still happen, but it obviously won’t be this season.
Regardless, let’s just hope we get to see Stefan out there at least one more time under Klopp. Thankfully, the signs in that regard are looking positive.
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