Barcelona spring transfer surprise! Blaugrana make shock bid to sign Liverpool youngster Stefan Bajcetic after injury blow

The Spanish giants are looking to push a loan deal for the Liverpool midfielder over the line before the transfer deadline on August 30. Bernal hobbled off during the Blaugrana's 2-1 win against Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday and initial fears indicate the 17-year-old will miss most of the season.

While Hansi Flick appears keen to get some cover in to plug the gap in Barca's midfield, they face stiff competition from RB Salzburg, where Jurgen Klopp's former assistant Pep Lijnders is in charge. The Austrian side had already sent an offer to Liverpool for a loan deal but may find themselves leaving empty-handed with La Liga giants now in the picture.

In the two years he has been at Liverpool, the 19-year-old has turned out 22 times for the club. That includes just six appearances in 2023-24 as he missed the vast majority of the campaign with a calf injury.

There is no word yet on whether Bajcetic will be heading to Spain or Germany. Different reports have emerged suggesting Barca want to take the prospect on a straight loan with no buy option in the deal, while Spanish sources claim they want to include a buy option of around €30 million ($33m/£25m), but must also find a way to comply with La Liga's financial fair play rules before being able to register the Spaniard.