What really happened between Stefan Bajcetic and Man United

Football is all about the fine margins…

Manchester United could have secured the talents of one of Liverpool’s brightest young players, Stefan Bajcetic, but a critical decision by his father thwarted a potential move to Old Trafford.

This revelation comes as Erik ten Hag prepares for a pivotal pre-season, aiming to improve upon a challenging previous campaign where the Red Devils finished eighth in the Premier League.

Despite a disappointing league performance, United ended the season on a high note with an FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.

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Promising performances from youngsters like Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, and Rasmus Hojlund have given ten Hag reasons for optimism as the new season approaches. However, the Dutch manager might have had another young talent at his disposal had it not been for a fateful twist in 2020.

According to The Athletic, United had targeted Bajcetic, then a promising young centre-back at Celta Vigo, during the summer of 2020. United had agreed on a fee of approximately €250,000 (£211,000) for the Spanish talent, who was attracting significant attention with his performances in Spain.

The move appeared set to proceed smoothly until United’s then-football negotiations manager, Sam Barnett, attempted to negotiate a lower fee. Barnett contacted Bajcetic’s father, Srdjan Bajcetic, to explore the possibility of withdrawing the player from Celta Vigo, hoping to reduce the fee to a training compensation amount of around €100,000 (£84,000).

This attempt to cut costs backfired spectacularly. Srdjan Bajcetic, himself a former Celta Vigo player and club employee, was unimpressed with the approach and immediately ruled out the move to Manchester United.

Instead, Stefan Bajcetic joined Liverpool in December 2020 for the originally proposed €250,000 fee.

Switching to a defensive midfield role at Liverpool, Bajcetic quickly made an impression. The Spain U21 international has since made 22 appearances for Liverpool’s senior team, showcasing his versatility and potential. His progress, however, was hampered by injuries last season.

A calf injury sidelined him for much of the first half, and an adductor problem disrupted the latter part of his campaign.

Now fully recovered, Stefan Bajcetic is set to play a key role in Liverpool’s pre-season preparations. His absence from Spain’s squad for the Olympic Games in Paris means he will be available for the entirety of Liverpool’s pre-season, a significant boost for Jürgen Klopp’s side as they aim to build on their previous season.

The missed opportunity for Manchester United are one of the fine margins in football transfers and the impact that off-the-pitch decisions can have on a club’s fortunes.