For all of Liverpool’s midfield woes this season, Spanish youngster Stefan Bajcetic has shone in performance after performance and reminds TalkSPORT’s Jamie O’Hara of a ‘young Xavi’.
Bajcetic has cemented himself into the centre of the park under Jurgen Klopp despite spending the majority of last term playing centre-half for the reserve team.
O’Hara told TalkSPORT: “I grew up watching Xavi and Paul Scholes. I used to watch videos of them all the time, constantly. The way they would receive the ball…”
“If you’re a young midfielder, watch that Liverpool midfielder. If you watch him play on the half-turn, he is like a little young Xavi in there. Those little intricate passes and the way he gets it. Honestly, he is a joy to watch. He really is.” said the former Tottenham Hotspur player.
It’s difficult to compute that he’s still only 18 years of age, and has the world at his feet.
A moment that encapsulated what Bajcetic is capable of has social media on strings.
He controls a pass from Virgin van Dijk, and brushes past a Newcastle midfielder to create an attacking phase of play with one shift – understandably, the likeness to Xavi has surfaced.
Jurgen Klopp has offered nothing but praise for the 18-year-old, given he has started in five out of six of Liverpool’s last domestic outings.
“Top talent, super player. He has played really, really, really good for us so far. It’s a pure joy to work with him. He’s a top, intelligent boy.”
It’s still to be seen whether Bajcetic will remain as a staple part of Klopp’s plans next campaign as the Reds look to plunge into the market for reinforcements in midfield.
Nonetheless, he has been a shining star in a poor season for Klopp so he will currently be in high spirits over his hopes of regular senior football.
