Barcelona set to miss out on Liverpool starlet due to Fair Play issues

With less than 36 hours left before the summer transfer window closes, Barcelona are working overtime to get one or two late signings into the team.

One of the main targets for the Blaugrana heading into deadline day is a new midfielder following the season-ending injury to Marc Bernal.

Given the financial constraints, the Catalans decided to make a low-cost loan move for Liverpool starlet Stefan Bajcetic, even offering a €4 million fee for his temporary acquisition.

There was hope that the signing could be closed with Barça even calling the player directly while also enlisting the hope of former midfielder Thiago Alcantara to convince him to snub other clubs, including RB Salzburg.

Bajcetic to join RB Salzburg

However, overnight developments suggest that Barcelona will miss out on the capture of Stefan Bajcetic, with the 19-year-old believed to be on his way to RB Salzburg.

Indeed, according to multiple reliable sources like David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano, RB Salzburg have reached an agreement with Liverpool for the loan signing of Bajcetic despite Barcelona’s late push for his signing.

Pep Ljinders, the former assistant of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, is in charge of Salzburg and wants him in Austria. As such, an agreement has now been reached for the youngster to join them.

Barcelona did try and hijack the loan transfer but are not in a position to proceed with the deal owing to their Financial Fair Play situation.

As such, the Spain Under-21 international is set to travel to Austria today to complete the move to Austria.

Bajcetic’s father comments on the situation

Meanwhile, Stefan Bajcetic’s father opened up on the situation of the 19-year-old starlet, saying that they have everything agreed with RB Salzburg.

However, he did add that he would like to see his son play for Barcelona and that they are still not sure what will happen.

“We didn’t expect Barça to enter the race… we have all ready to go to Salzburg. But we still don’t have any info on what’s gonna happen,” he told RAC1, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

“I’d like Stefan to play for a top club like Barça or same Liverpool, he’s ready for top clubs.”

However, unless Barcelona find a way to create room on the salary space in the coming hours, Bajcetic’s move to RB Salzburg appears to be a given.