Chelsea are reportedly set to complete the capture of Romeo Lavia from Southampton, beating Liverpool to his signature.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have agreed on a £58 million deal to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia. The 19-year-old, who was also a target for Liverpool, is expected to be unveiled this week.
Fabrizio Romano claims that the midfielder will undergo his medical tests with the London club this week and has already agreed personal terms with Chelsea on Monday. The 19-year-old had an impressive Premier League campaign last year despite Southampton’s relegation, and his performance has caught the attention of the top clubs.
Liverpool were keen on signing the midfielder as well. But it seems that Chelsea have now won the race for his signature. The Reds recently lost out to Moises Caicedo to Chelsea as well. Chelsea needed to bring in quality midfield reinforcements after the departures of Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante. Caicedo and Lavia should prove to be excellent long-term acquisitions.
The two players are likely to start alongside Enzo Fernandez at the heart of Chelsea’s midfield. The Blues have spent significant sums of money on the three signings over the last few months, and they have sorted their midfield unit for the foreseeable future. Lavia will look to establish himself as a key player at Stamford Bridge this season.
Roméo Lavia to Chelsea, here we go! Deal agreed between clubs on final fee short of £60m add-ons included — structure also agreed 🚨🔵🇧🇪
Lavia will undergo medical tests this week, just informed by clubs that the agreement has been reached.
Roméo said yes to Chelsea on Monday. pic.twitter.com/sH9wlpYlnk
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 15, 2023
The 19-year-old midfielder was recently relegated to the Championship with Southampton, and he was always expected to come back to the top flight immediately. Lavia is clearly way too talented for the second division, and he will look to compete at the highest level with Chelsea now.
Mauricio Pochettino could get the best out of the 19-year-old and help him fulfil his tremendous potential. The Belgian is highly rated around Europe and the £58 million fee could prove to be a solid investment in the long run.
Southampton could have lost the midfielder for £40 million next summer because of a clause in his contract. So it makes sense for them to cash in on him for a higher price this summer. It remains to be seen whether the 19-year-old can hit the ground running at Chelsea this season and help them tighten up defensively.
