Chelsea are still keen on Romeo Lavia, with Liverpool set to make a second bid for the Southampton enforcer after having their initial approach rejected.
According to Football Insider, Chelsea and Liverpool are battling it out for the signature of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, who is desperate for a move away from St. Mary’s this summer.
The 19-year-old, who made 34 appearances in his first season at senior level last time out, was one of the very few bright spots in a Southampton side that got relegated to the Championship last season. But the south coast outfit are not letting their demotion to the second tier of the English pyramid lead them to be pushed around in the market for their best players on cut-price deals.
Liverpool saw their opening bid of £35 million rising to £40 million rejected by Southampton, who are holding out for an overall package in the region of £50 million. The Saints are also wary of having to give up some of the money they receive from Lavia’s sale to the player’s former club, Manchester City.
As well as the £40 million buyback clause that would be active in 2024, Manchester City also inserted a 20 percent sell-on fee for any future transfer in Lavia’s move to Southampton last year. The Reds remain confident an agreement can be reached with the Championship outfit on a fee.
The Merseyside giants are set to make an improved offer. But Chelsea are still in the picture and could well be plotting a high-profile hijack for their Premier League rivals’ top target. Jurgen Klopp’s side entered the transfer window with a clear emphasis on bolstering their midfield, particularly considering the confirmed departures of James Milner, Fabio Carvalho, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The Reds have already signed two midfielders this summer in the form of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion and Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig for a combined fee of over £100 million after add-ons.
However, Jordan Henderson’s imminent departure and ongoing uncertainty regarding Fabinho‘s future have made Klopp’s midfield overhaul somewhat more tricky, as they now need at least one or two more midfielders this summer.
Lavia would be an excellent start, yet most agree that he cannot be the only acquisition in the No. 6 position, with Cheick Doucoure, Joao Palhinha, and Boubacar Kamara among the other names touted with moves to Merseyside.
Along with Liverpool, Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in Lavia and are closely monitoring the Southampton midfielder’s situation. Like Liverpool, they have also let go of plenty of deadwood from their midfield ranks and are currently focused on securing an agreement with Brighton for Moises Caicedo.
The Ecuador international has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge for a long time now and has already agreed personal terms with the West London outfit. Per Football Insider, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are “waiting to see how that (Caicedo’s pursuit) plays out before deciding whether to progress with a move for Lavia.”
Lavia himself is leaning towards a move to Anfield, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealing that personal terms “will not be an issue” for the Reds if they can agree on his price despite the ongoing interest from Chelsea.
