Stefan Bajcetic is set to return to Celta de Vigo on a three-year contract after agreeing to a significant reduction in his wages at Liverpool, with the midfielder expected to begin his comeback with the club’s reserve side.
The 21-year-old will have a medical examination at Celta de Vigo on Monday, according to Spanish media outlet Metropolitano. Bajcetic came through the club’s youth academy before leaving for Liverpool at the age of 16, and is now poised to rejoin his former club after five years away.
Bajcetic has spent the intervening period within Liverpool’s system, including loan spells at RB Salzburg and Las Palmas. However, a muscle injury has kept him out of action for more than 15 months, meaning Celta de Vigo plan to manage his return gradually.
He will initially play for Celta Fortuna, the club’s reserve team, as he works to recover his match fitness. The intention is for the midfielder to rebuild his condition before attempting to establish himself in the senior side.
The move has been structured to reflect Celta de Vigo’s financial limitations. Bajcetic has agreed to waive a substantial portion of the salary due to him in the final year of his Liverpool contract and will instead earn a wage aligned with the club’s scale for young players.
Reports indicate that his terms will mirror the salary arrangements of players including Xavi Rodriguez, Rueda, Hugo Alvarez and Joel Lago. Bajcetic will receive a fixed wage while registered with Celta Fortuna, with his salary increasing if he is promoted to the first team.
His contract also contains performance-related bonuses linked to appearances for the senior team. The agreement is therefore heavily dependent on his progress and ability to return to competitive football after his lengthy absence.
Bajcetic can operate in midfield or at centre-back. Reports say he was keen to return to Celta de Vigo and was prepared to make considerable financial concessions to complete the deal.
Celta de Vigo will not pay Liverpool a fixed transfer fee for the player. However, the agreement includes performance-based add-ons, while Liverpool will retain a percentage of any future transfer fee if Bajcetic is sold on.
There is no buy-back clause in the agreement.
Bajcetic has been sidelined since May 2025. His previous loan spell at Las Palmas failed to produce the impact expected, and his return to Celta de Vigo offers him the opportunity to regain both fitness and career momentum in familiar surroundings.
The midfielder’s immediate priority will be to prove his physical readiness with Celta Fortuna before competing for a place in the first team. His three-year contract gives him time to recover from his injury problems and re-establish himself at the club where his football development began.
