Manchester City prospect Romeo Lavia is on the verge of joining Southampton while Zack Steffen is poised to sign for Middlesbrough on loan.
According to The Athletic, Southampton are poised to complete the signing of 18-year-old Manchester City starlet Romeo Lavia. The youngster will move to St Mary’s imminently, but the Premier League champions will have an option to buy him back in the future.
Lavia joined Manchester City’s youth setup from RSC Anderlecht in the summer of 2020. Regarded highly within the club, the teenage defensive midfielder made his first-team debut last season in a Carabao Cup clash against Wycombe Wanderers. He also played a game in the FA Cup for the Cityzens.
While he is rated highly within the club, Manchester City’s imminent signing of Kalvin Phillips would stop Lavia from getting meaningful game-time at the Etihad. So, the Premier League champions have decided to part ways with the 18-year-old Belgian Under-21 international this summer.
Southampton and Leeds United had shown an interest in Lavia, and ultimately the Saints have prevailed in the race to land the Manchester City midfield prodigy. As per the report, the 18-year-old will now be moving to St Mary’s, but there is no mention of a transfer fee for the midfielder. However, Pep Guardiola’s side will have an option to buy him back in the future.
Once Lavia completes the move, he will become the second Manchester City player to join Southampton this summer, following in the footsteps of Gavin Bazunu. The goalkeeper switched Etihad for St Mary’s earlier in the current transfer window, joining Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side in a deal worth £12 million, which could rise to £15 million.
Middlesbrough agree loan deal for Zack Steffen
Following in the footsteps of Gavin Bazunu, another goalkeeper will depart Manchester City this summer, as Zack Steffen is on the verge of securing a loan switch to EFL Championship club Middlesbrough, reports 90 Min.
The 27-year-old USMNT international has been the understudy to first-choice shot-stopper Ederson Moraes at Manchester City and played just nine matches for Pep Guardiola’s side in the 2021/22 campaign. But with the Cityzens now on the verge of signing Stefan Ortega from Arminia Bielefeld on a free transfer, Steffen will be falling down the pecking order.
It left the path clear for Steffen to secure an exit in the summer window. And as per the report, Middlesbrough have won the race to sign the goalkeeper, with an agreement with the Cityzens over a loan deal already in place. The Teessiders had been looking at several options like Karl Darlow of Newcastle United and Manchester United’s Tom Heaton but have narrowed in on Steffen.
The 27-year-old has been with Manchester City since the summer of 2019 but was immediately loaned out to Fortuna Dusseldorf. Having spent the last couple of campaigns at the Etihad, he will now play the upcoming season in the EFL Championship, with a medical already believed to be completed on Tuesday.
