“That role is earmarked for him” - Liverpool legend claims Arne Slot already has player similar to Rodri in his team

Liverpool icon John Barnes has claimed the Reds already have a suitable No. 6 in Stefan Bajcetic to build around. He also reckons Arne Slot can develop the youngster into the next Rodri and that Bajcetic is an upgrade on Wataru Endo based on his ability on the ball.

Bajcetic showed glimpses of greatness when he broke into Liverpool's starting XI under Jurgen Klopp during the 2022-23 campaign. However, injuries over the past two years have derailed his progress, with the 19-year-old missing 56 games across competitions due to an adductor and calf injury.

With Slot preferring to play with a double pivot, the Reds have reportedly in the market for a new defensive midfielder to provide competition for Wataru Endo. However, Barnes reckons they already have a suitable option in Bajcetic - who could develop into the next Rodri.

Barnes told Betting Expert (via Liverpool.com):

"He's an out-and-out number six. Everyone is now raving about Rodri. I've been talking about the importance of a good defensive midfielder for a long time and how vital they are to the team. Now everybody is talking about how important they are."

He added:

"We saw how good he was when he filled in for Fabinho. We've brought [Wataru] Endo in and he's done well but I think Bajcetic is an upgrade on Endo in terms of what he does on the ball so I'm looking forward to seeing how he does and I'm hoping that he can stay fit. That role is earmarked for him."

Bajcetic has featured under Slot during the Reds' pre-season tour in the United States and will be hoping to play a prominent role for them this season. However, he will have to do a lot more to be cosidered the next Rodri.

The Manchester City superstar had a sensational 2023-24 campaign, helping the Cityzens win the Premier League title, and lifting the Euro 2024 trophy with Spain.

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"I was really pleased to see" - Liverpool boss Arne Slot gives verdict after pre-season win against Arsenal

Liverpool manager Arne Slot was pleased after his side maintained their flawless pre-season campaign with their second win of the summer. The Reds defeated Arsenal 2-1 at the Lincoln Financial Field on Wednesday, July 31.

Despite missing a lot of first-team stars including Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, and Cody Gakpo, the Reds were able to get over the line. Mohamed Salah (13') and Fabio Carvalho (34') scored one goal apiece while Kai Havertz netted just before half-time in the 40th minute.

During the post-match press conference, Slot said (via Liverpool's official website):

"I think even though it's a friendly, you always want to aim for a win. You should aim for a win even if you have a small-sided game during a training session. You need to win your games, you try to do everything to win. So that's a good thing that we did that today but I'm more pleased about the way we did so."

He continued:

"Of course I saw the second half that we had a hard time with Arsenal – they dominated possession completely. But we defended really well and I was really pleased to see this because [there were] a lot of bodies behind the ball every time they arrived into our 16."

He concluded:

"Real big, open chances I don't think they created in the second half. First half, after the first 10 minutes, it was an equal game, where both teams could have scored a few goals more. So, [I'm] pleased to see how we played the first half and how we defended the second half."

Liverpool next face Manchester United in a friendly on Saturday, August 3.