Manchester United are set to battle it out with Arsenal and Chelsea for the signature of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.
According to a report by Daily Mail, Manchester United have joined the race to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia who is also on the radar of Chelsea and Arsenal. The 19-year-old midfielder has been impressive of late and has attracted a lot of attention from clubs across Europe.
Lavia joined the Saints ahead of the ongoing season from Manchester City. Southampton paid up to £14 million to acquire the Belgium U21 star. He has a five-year deal with the club. But, he might leave the Saints just a year after joining them because of the interest from elsewhere.
Southampton are fighting for survival in the ongoing season. They are placed at the bottom of the Premier League and if they fail to avoid relegation they might not even stand a chance to keep him at the club.
City have a buyback clause of £40 million for the 19-year-old. But, that clause cannot be triggered until next summer. As a result, the Saints could look to sell him in the upcoming summer and fetch substantial money.
Lavia has become an integral part of the team since joining them. He has 21 appearances in the ongoing season and has two goal contributions. His performances haven’t gone unnoticed and a lot of clubs are set to enter a bidding war for the Belgian defensive midfielder.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are keen on having the 19-year-old in their ranks. Erik ten Hag has done wonders at the club post his arrival. The Red Devils are set to return to the Champions League and will also push for the Premier League title next season.
Ten Hag is expected to add a few more players ahead of next season as they look to take the next step. His focus will be to add a few midfielders to their ranks. While his primary target will be Jude Bellingham, the Dutch boss is also keen on having Lavia at his disposal. He wants to add a cover for Casemiro and ensure that he can rotate the midfielder to keep him fit for the majority of the season.
Liverpool will also focus on signing midfielders ahead of next season. They have struggled in the ongoing campaign and a lot of it is because of their inconsistent midfield. Jurgen Klopp will look to freshen up his midfield options in the summer. And, he is a big admirer of the 19-year-old.
However, the two clubs will also have to battle it out with Chelsea. The Blues have spent a fortune on acquiring young talent since their takeover. Graham Potter’s men have quite a few midfielders in their ranks but they are likely to offload a few in the summer. They have been monitoring the Belgian midfielder and will push for his signatures in the upcoming transfer window.
United are keen on signing Romeo Lavia but it won’t be an easy task by any means. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this transfer tussle for the 19-year-old Southampton midfielder.
