Chelsea have reportedly tabled a contract offer to Romeo Lavia as they look to agree on personal terms before opening talks with Southampton.
Santi Aouna has claimed that Chelsea have made a contract proposal to Romeo Lavia and his representatives. The Blues are keen to advance their interest in the 19-year-old Liverpool target and look to agree on personal terms before opening talks with Southampton.
Top Premier League clubs may have finished their top priority business in this window. They will now look to move into the next phase. For Arsenal, it was all about agreeing on deals for their primary targets like Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber. Chelsea looked to offload unwanted players and trim their squad.
Similarly, Liverpool signed essential stars like Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to strengthen their midfield. Now, these clubs are set to compete for midfield talent Romeo Lavia. The 19-year-old has come in considerable demand in this market and will likely leave Southampton.
The Saints know about the interest and are set to demand at least £50 million. Clubs are also aware of Manchester City’s buyback clause on the midfielder, as the £40 million clause only becomes active in 2024. Hence, Southampton are receptive to big offers, with Liverpool one of the keen sides along with Arsenal.
🚨🔴⚪️🇧🇪 #Championship |
◉ Chelsea have submitted a contract proposal to Romeo Lavia.
◉ Liverpool have met his entourage on several occasions in recent weeks.
◉ Southampton have not yet received an official offer. pic.twitter.com/y0zQMOOvMj
— Santi Aouna (@Santi_J_FM) July 3, 2023
The Gunners are also constantly monitoring the 19-year-old’s situation and will look to sign him if Thomas Partey leaves. Arsenal could ramp up their efforts to sign the midfielder and challenge Liverpool and Chelsea for his signature.
As things stand, Liverpool are front-runners in the chase, as Jurgen Klopp could prioritise the Belgian over OGC Nice’s Khephren Thuram. Meanwhile, Chelsea have stayed on the periphery of this chase but could enter the reckoning with a bang.
They are keen to sign Moises Caicedo and hope to wrap up the transfer this week. Now considering their interest in Lavia, one may wonder whether the Belgian is an alternative to the Brighton star. The Blues may look to sign both, which could indicate their owners are making funds available for big transfers.
Now, Chelsea have reportedly made a contract offer to Lavia in an attempt to agree on personal terms. Before opening talks with Southampton, they could have that key transfer aspect sorted to determine the fee needed to sign the 19-year-old.
The growing interest in Lavia will only come as good news for Southampton. They can now look to extract the best possible offer from these suitors, as a bidding war could play to their advantage. Hence, this seems like an open race for the Belgian midfielder, with Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all firm contenders.
