Liverpool midfielder will be given fresh start by Arne Slot after rave reviews
On-loan Liverpool midfielder Stefan Bajcetic is fighting to avoid the drop with Spanish side Las Palmas this season
Arne Slot lit up social media on Monday evening with his Premier League title-winning partying in Ibiza. On another Spanish island, though, matters are far more serious for one Liverpool midfielder.
While the Reds celebrate being crowned champions for the 20th time, Stefan Bajcetic is scrapping to help Las Palmas avoid dropping out of La Liga.
It won't be easy. Las Palmas have spent much of the campaign in the relegation zone and finish with three games against fellow strugglers, with Monday's visit to Sevilla followed by a home clash against Leganes and a final-day showdown at Espanyol.
The difficult denouement encapsulates what has been a tough campaign for Bajcetic. Having finally returned for Liverpool towards the end of last season after two lengthy injury absences, the midfielder featured intermittently during pre-season under new head coach Arne Slot before it was determined a loan spell would best suit efforts to regain full sharpness with playing time likely to be at a premium with the Reds.
A temporary reunion with former Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders at Red Bull Salzburg appeared the ideal move. But within weeks there was talk of dressing room unrest at perceived preferential treatment for Bajcetic, with Lijnders sacked before Christmas after a poor start to the campaign.
And while Bajcetic failed to feature in only three games for the Austrian side, it was determined in late January a move to Las Palmas would be of greater benefit.
So it has proven. The 20-year-old started 11 of the first 14 games for which he was available during which he was unused only once. Encouragingly for Liverpool, most of his time has been spent playing in a defensive midfield role while he is increasingly gaining full games under belt.
Since moving to Las Palmas, Bajcetic has been in the top 10 midfielders in La Liga regards tackles, interceptions and progressive dribbles per 90 minutes.
The highlight was his performance in the 1-0 win against high-flying Atletico Madrid last month, during which a clips package of his display went viral and he was likened in his style of play to Barcelona great Sergio Busquets by the local media.
Regardless of the outcome with Las Palmas in the next fortnight, Bajcetic will be given an opportunity to re-establish himself in the Liverpool first-team squad during pre-season.
With Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister having locked down the two defensive midfield roles under Slot this season - Wataru Endo has made just one Premier League start - Bajcetic faces a battle to make his mark.
And it's worth bearing in mind he has made just two Liverpool appearances in more than two years and, despite the fervour that greeted his first-team breakthrough during the dark months at the start of 2023, Bajcetic has only ever started only six Premier League games.
There is also the trend for loaned players to rarely subsequently make the grade at Liverpool, even if current first-team squad members Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley and Harvey Elliott are notable exceptions.
Bajectic is one of only a handful of Liverpool youngsters to remain active on loan this season.
Luca Stephenson has been the most successful having been a regular in midfield with Dundee United, who are fifth in the Scottish Premiership. By contrast, right-back Calvin Ramsay has struggled for minutes at Kilmarnock having had a spell at Wigan Athletic terminated in the New Year.
Goalkeeper Fabian Mrozek hasn't played since March for Forest Green Rovers, who are preparing for the National League play-offs. James Norris, though, continues to feature at left-back for League of Ireland side Shelbourne.