Barcelona unable to afford Southampton midfielder and Chelsea target Romeo Lavia this summer
Southampton midfielder and Chelsea target Romeo Lavia was on the radar of Spanish giants Barcelona in the ongoing transfer window, according to Sky Sort journalist Florian Plettenberg on Twitter.
However, the Blaugrana cannot afford the Belgium international’s price tag this summer. The Saints are looking to get around £50 million to part ways with the youngster.
As things stand, the Blues are in concrete talks to acquire the services of the 19-year-old. Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool also have him on their radar, with Jurgen Klopp an admirer of the midfielder.
Lavia developed at Manchester City before moving to Southampton last summer. The Belgian was a key player for the Saints in the 2022/23 term.
What should Chelsea do?
However, the Hampshire-based club ended up getting relegated to the Championship. The youngster made 35 appearances in all competitions for them, mostly in the number six position.
The midfielder has proven himself in the English top flight. Therefore, it would not be a surprise to see the 19-year-old leave the St Mary’s Stadium side in the coming weeks. He has shown that he has what it takes to be a regular starter in the Premier League.
Chelsea have seen a mass exodus from their engine room recently. We have lost N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount in the ongoing transfer window. Ruben Loftus-Cheek has also signed for AC Milan.
As a result, the Blues have been left with Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher in their ranks. Barcelona have also lost Sergio Busquets, which has left a gaping hole in the La Liga outfit’s defensive midfield position. Although, they do have Frenkie de Jong as a potential option.
Thus, both the Stamford Bridge side and the Blaugrana could evidently use a player like Lavia in their ranks. With the Spanish giants seemingly out of the race, the West London club have been handed a big boost. We should be wise as to not pay a massive sum.
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But competition for his services could keep any potential fee high. Most signings we have made under Todd Boehly are young players from leagues outside England. Lavia is a player who fits the criteria of being young, talented and capable of being a first-team starter already. To top it off, he has PL experience… He would be one of the safer signings we would have made in the past couple of years or so.