Barcelona will miss out on Liverpool starlet Stegan Bajcetic as the 19-year-old is set to move to RB Salzburg instead.

The Catalan side had made a last-minute loan offer to Liverpool for €4m without a buy option on Wednesday night, but their inability to guarantee their ability to register him halted any chances they had of getting a deal over the line. Indeed, as things stand, they cannot register anyone else.

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— barcacentre (@barcacentre) August 29, 2024

Bajcetic had already agreed a deal to head to Salzburg on loan, and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that this deal will go ahead. The Spanish-Serbian midfielder is due to travel to Austria today to dot the Is and cross the Ts on a deal.

🔴⚪️✈️ Stefan Bajcetić to RB Salzburg, here we go! No chance for Barcelona even with attempts overnight.

Barça issues with Financial Fair Play block the move and they can’t proceed with La Liga limits.

Bajcetić leaves #LFC to join Salzburg, travel and medical today. 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/ovTT71oLFu

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 29, 2024

It leaves Barcelona no closer to resolving their midfield conundrum. With Frenkie de Jong potentially still needing surgery, and Marc Bernal ruled out for the next year, Hansi Flick has not clear choice for the role of his deepest midfielder. Eric Garcia could be shifted there, and Marc Casado could also play in that position, but Flick has so far used him further forward.