Liverpool reward teenage star Stefan Bajcetic with new long-term deal

The 18-year-old scored his first Liverpool goal in the Boxing Day win at Aston Villa

Liverpool youngster Stefan Bajcetic has been surprised by his rapid rise (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire)

Liverpool have given teenage midfielder Stefan Bajcetic a four-and-a-half year contract to reward him for his progress this season.

Bajcetic, who was signed from Celta Vigo for €250,000 in 2020, was preferred to Fabinho for Saturday’s draw against Chelsea and scored his first Liverpool goal in the Boxing Day win at Aston Villa.

The 18-year-old has made 10 appearances this season and has been a regular in the squad, with manager Jurgen Klopp saying: “There was a door – I’m not even sure it was open – but he ran through it and he was really exceptional.”

Bajcetic’s deal is in line with Liverpool’s policy of rewarding young players who have impressed with pay rises and long-term contracts.

“A year ago I was playing under-18s football and now I’ve started some games, made my debut and even scored a goal - that was something I never expected to happen this year,” Bajcetic told liverpoolfc.com. “It’s amazing to see how fast it went. But I keep working hard and hopefully (there are) more things to come.”

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