Chelsea are still in the race to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia in the summer window, confirms Fabrizio Romano. The youngster impressed a number of clubs with his performances for the Saints after joining them from Manchester City last year.
Chelsea Set to Compete for Romeo Lavia
Chelsea ‘Appreciate’ Lavia’s Quality
The 19-year-old Belgian midfielder was one of the shining stars for Southampton in their 2022/23 campaign, producing a number of admirable performances even though he was ultimately relegated with them in May.
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Romano claims that the teenager is almost set for a move to the Premier League this summer and the London giants are among the teams looking to snap him up. He told GiveMeSport: “Lavia remains a player they appreciate, a player on the list. There are also other clubs in for Roméo Lavia, so the race is open and I’m sure that things will happen because this is a player for the Premier League, not the Championship.”
It has also been confirmed by Romano that Arsenal are currently advancing in talks to sign Lavia in the summer and have already kick-started negotiations over a possible deal. The Blues are claimed to be keeping a close eye on him but will need to accelerate their interest to beat their rivals to the chase – with Romano also adding that it’ll take a ‘record fee’ for an U21 player for Southampton to let him leave.
How Can Lavia Fit In at Stamford Bridge?
A graduate of the reigning Champions League winners’ youth academy, the Belgian midfielder has been described as ‘absolutely incredible’ in the past and is known for being a tireless worker on the pitch – similar to how N’Golo Kante operates at Stamford Bridge.
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Lavia – who is rumoured to earn wages of just £25,000-a-week at his current club – made 35 appearances across all competitions for the Saints last season, and even scored a goal in their stunning win over Chelsea towards the early part of the Premier League campaign. He can be a solid fit for Mauricio Pochettino’s future project and has the qualities to bring energy, efficiency and stability to their midfield line.
