Manchester United haven’t been shy in splashing out millions for players over the previous few years.
The likes of Jadon Sancho (£73m), Bruno Fernandes (£68m) and Harry Maguire (£80m) all arrived at Old Trafford for massive fees, with only Fernandes standing out as value for money.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spent millions trying to rejuvenate United and restore the club to the level they were at under Sir Alex Ferguson, yet his reign ended without winning a trophy while costing the club a fortune in players who couldn’t quite live up to the high expectations.
It wasn’t only big-money signings the club had shockers on, with Solskjaer missing out on current Premier League sensation Stefan Bajcetic back in 2020.
Did Stefan Bajcetic nearly join Man Utd?
The teen starlet made the move from Celta Vigo to Liverpool back in 2020, however, Manchester United had the chance to secure the youngster but missed out.
His father, Srdan Bajcetic, revealed that the Old Trafford side were a potential destination for the player, saying: “Some scouts from Liverpool saw him and contacted us. But Stefan was still a child, not even 16 years old. He couldn’t go anywhere.
“At first, Liverpool told us that they couldn’t do it and then United called us, [saying] that they could. Liverpool found out and contacted us again to sign him. Celta does not have the financial power to [offer] professional contracts at that age. Sometimes [the young players] leave.”
How is Stefan Bajcetic doing now?
United’s loss has turned out to be a major gain for the Anfield side, with Bajcetic emerging into one of their brightest sparks following the resumption of the domestic season at the end of last year.
The 18 year old has played seven league matches this term and although a Sofascore rating of 6.71/10 maybe doesn’t place him near the top of the Liverpool ratings this term, his emergence into the first team has added something extra to the clubs midfield.
The Spaniard has contributed well both in an attacking sense while chipping in with a mature approach to the defensive side of the game. Across the seven games, Bajcetic has scored once, averaged 0.6 key passes while also taking 0.6 shots per game while making one tackle and 0.9 interceptions along with winning 47% of his duels.
Following his performance against Everton a few weeks ago, Statman Dave said the midfielder “looked right at home in the midfield” and it is evident that Klopp has a genuine superstar in the making.
Would he have had the same opportunity at such a young age had he made the move to United? Who knows. But it is fair to say that United had an absolute howler in missing out on the teen sensation, especially with his recent rise to prominence.
