Despite having already spent $115 million on two midfielders this summer, Liverpool may not be in a rush to sign Romeo Lavia, but Jurgen Klopp isn’t given up on trying to sign the Southampton talent.
Lavia, a graduate of the Manchester City academy, has flourished at St. Mary’s since moving there for £12 million last summer. Liverpool is one of three clubs keeping an eye on him following the Saints’ relegation to the Championship.
According to The Athletic, Klopp allegedly respects the 19-year-old and may feel comfortable attracting the midfielder to Anfield to join Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai as a new hire.
A move for the young player, who is valued at over £50 million by his club, may need him to sell some members of his existing squad because Arsenal and Chelsea are both waiting in the wings to begin their own moves.
Express Sport examines four players who might leave the Reds to make room for the Belgium superstar.
Joe Gomez
Gomez, who is 26 years old and reaching his prime, may be permitted to leave Liverpool after spending the majority of his time with the Reds either on the sidelines or injured.
In the Premier League, the center defender, who can also fill in at full back, earned only 16 starts as he fought to unseat Trent Alexander-Arnold. It also appears doubtful that he will leave that position very soon given that his compatriot, who is younger than he is, is doing well in it as a hybrid right-back.
Most Premier League clubs would be happy to have the opportunity to recruit Gomez since he would command a transfer fee of about £20 million, which would go a long way toward affording the £50 million required to lure Lavia away from the South Coast. This summer, Gomez and Liverpool are at a crossroads, and it is something they should both think about.
Thiago Alcantara
Klopp’s midfield renewal includes getting rid of the “old” and bringing in the “new.” Thiago could now join players like Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and James Milner in the “old” undesirable pile in addition to Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, who are considered recent additions.
There is no denying the Spaniard’s talent, but he is also prone to injuries, and the fact is that he has never started more than 20 games for Liverpool in a Premier League campaign. Klopp needs team members he can count on if he’s going to close the gap on City, and Thiago’s name comes with a major question mark.
Since Lavia’s presence will help Liverpool replace the creative hole, Liverpool would be prudent to explore a mutual termination if Thiago, who is now 32, is offered the chance to return to Spain.
Caoimhin Kelleher
When Alisson Becker is injured, the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper serves as the ideal backup, thus Klopp would be reluctant to move him. The issue is that Kelleher has grown accustomed to the thought of playing and, at the age of 24, he cannot just accept a spot on the bench.
Liverpool already has Adrian and Marcelo Pitaluga to fill in if necessary, and if they were to trade Kelleher this summer, they could make up to £25 million.
That is not a cheap price for a back-up goalkeeper, and if Brentford makes a serious offer after expressing reported interest in the shot-stopper, Liverpool owes it to both the Irishman and themselves to take it into consideration.
Fabinho
At Liverpool’s height, the Brazilian was regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, but injuries have had an impact on his fitness and performances. Fabinho is a squad player who is replaceable even if he still has a significant impact on their season.
The anchorman does provide defensive stability and a composed presence in the middle of the field, but if Lavia were to join the Merseyside club this summer, he would probably take his deep-lying midfield position. If Liverpool were to sell Fabinho, there would be no shortage of buyers since, according to The Mirror, he was dissatisfied with the team last season.
In the event that a team expresses interest in the former Monaco player, Klopp might take into account the fact that at 29, he might still command a respectable cost to contribute to Lavia’s departure.
