Chelsea are one of the leading contenders to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia according to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs
Via GIVEMESPORT, he said: “If Southampton go down, then Lavia will almost certainly go and a variety of suitors, I think, will realise that there's a very strong deal there. So Chelsea are another one to watch."
There's a possibility that youngster could be one of Mauricio Pochettino’s first signings as the new boss, who is reportedly closing in on his appointment at Stamford Bridge.
However, Football Insider has revealed that the 2021 Champions League Winners are set to be rivalled by Arsenal and Manchester United for the teenage sensation’s signature, which is valued at around £45m.
With the Saints’ relegation almost inevitable, Lavia’s departure is nearing, and it is going to be a hotly contested race for this player of unfathomable potential.
What would Romeo Lavia bring to Chelsea?
The Belgian only joined the South Coast from Manchester City last summer and upon his arrival, then-manager Ralph Hasenhuttl couldn’t contain his excitement.
He said: “Roméo is an extremely talented young player at the start of his career who is open-minded and wants to learn and develop his game with us.
“Roméo is coming from one of the best teams in the world, learning from the best manager and the best players. Now it is up to him to show us why he deserves to play in the Premier League, as we hope to help take his game to the next level.”
This has certainly been the case as the prodigy has developed a formidable reputation as one of the club’s most influential forces.
In 25 Premier League appearances, Lavia has averaged 2.1 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, and one successful dribble per game, to underline his impressive all-round quality.
The £18m-rated man also ranks in the top 24% in Europe's top five leagues among his positional peers for successful take-ons per 90 and the top 9% for blocks per 90, to display that he is equally confident in attacking and defensive phases of play.
In March 2023, the former Anderlecht starlet received his first call-up to the Belgian senior national team for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match against Sweden and the friendly with Germany.
This led Pep Guardiola to shower the midfielder with praise, and he said: “I am really impressed with what Romeo has done and is doing. We have an incredible opinion about him.”
At a frighteningly young age, Lavia fits Todd Boehly's youthful transfer policy and with Premier League experience to boot, there are few better alternatives.
Indeed, the Saints star is a stupendous blend of tenacity, line-breaking deep passes, ball recovery, and electric pace, so he would be an intelligent addition to kickstart Chelsea’s extensive rebuild.
