Red Bull Salzburg are trying to sign a second Liverpool midfielder of the summer as they have emerged as the frontrunners to complete a loan deal for Spanish youngster Stefan Bajcetic this week.
Jurgen Klopp’s former right-hand man, alongside fellow ex-Liverpool coach Vitor Matos, believe they can give Bajcetic the minutes he requires to kickstart his career after missing most of last season through injury. He played just three times for the first team last term.
Before that, the 19-year-old had a breakthrough campaign where he played 19 times. Many thought he would be part of Arne Slot’s plans this season but it was decided it would be best for him to get regular gametime out on loan.
Spanish side Celta Vigo, the academy Bajcetic grew up in before moving to Merseyside aged 16, were credited with an interest and their manager Claudio Giralde spoke on the record about this. But that move was seen as unrealistic.
The Austrian side, led by ex-Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders, have already signed Bobby Clark
A deal for Bajcetic to join Salzburg is not complete yet and other clubs, including Slot’s former side Feyenoord, are also said to be keen. Any move would likely be a straight loan and not include any obligations or options to make it permanent in the future.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have a decision to make over fellow young midfielder Tyler Morton and they are expected to decide in the next 24 hours whether to accept a loan proposal from Bayer Leverkusen.
The German champions are managed by Morton’s idol Xabi Alonso and Mail Sport understands they have promised the midfielder to play in at least 50 per cent of games this season if he remains fit.
Liverpool would have preferred a sale and valued him at around £20million. Fellow German club RB Leipzig and Italian side Atalanta were interested earlier in the window. Morton is understood to be excited by a proposed move to Leverkusen and wants to play under Alonso.
Speaking to Mail Sport last season while on loan at Hull City, Morton said: ‘I used to go to the park and practice my pinging with my dad, I loved Xabi Alonso so I tried to copy him. Stevie Gerrard was my idol but I loved watching Xabi play, he was just in a different class.’
Another fringe star, Owen Beck, will finalise a loan move to Championship side Blackburn in the next 24 hours. The 22-year-old, who is the nephew of Ian Rush, excelled at Dundee last season and was rated as best left back in Scotland.
He was close to joining Queens Park Rangers a fortnight ago, who were trying to offload fellow left back Kenneth Paal. Scottish champions Celtic and Leeds were also keen but Blackburn are close to winning the race for his signature.
Mail Sport reported on Monday that Liverpool are weighing up whether to make a bid to sign Juventus castaway Federico Chiesa. If the forward joined that would open the door to young forward Ben Doak to leave on loan this week.
Leicester and Southampton are among the clubs to have previously registered an interest in the Scotsman, who was called up to Steve Clarke’s senior squad on Tuesday morning.