This week, Liverpool is about to finalize the signing of Alexis MacAllister to Anfield, and a fresh development has come to light regarding a different Reds’ transfer target.
Football Insider claims that Chelsea has intensified its efforts to compete with Liverpool for the summer transfer of Southampton CDM Romeo Lavia.
The West Londoners are reportedly considering a fresh strategy to recruit the midfielder before Liverpool, who have also expressed interest in him.
To be in the running to get him away from the relegated side, both clubs will need to come up with a transfer cost of up to £50m.
This summer, both Chelsea and Liverpool are in severe need of midfield reinforcements, and Jurgen Klopp is clearly eager to concentrate his attention on young potential rather than more seasoned players.
Kephren Thuram and Kouadio Kone, both 22 years old, have been heavily connected to the Reds and have been the subject of signing talks, demonstrating the clear goal this summer to start a young revolution in the center of the field.
Lavia’s acquisition would therefore be a big coup for the Merseyside giants because, in addition to being a young midfielder who Klopp can mold and develop, he also has Premier League experience, which the aforementioned French targets do not.
The 19-year-old, described as a “absolute monster” by Southampton correspondent Benjy Nurick, has made 29 top-flight appearances and has completed 68% of his dribble attempts and 86% of his passes. He has also averaged 47.7 touches per game, 1.1 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, and 4.9 duels won, demonstrating his dominance on defense.
In his first season of regular Premier League play, the Belgian midfielder, who honed his trade in the Manchester City junior program, has received high praise. Pep Guardiola praised his influence on Southampton:
“What Romeo has done and is doing has really amazed me. We had and still do have a great opinion of him.
Given the youngster’s talent, Lavia might end up being Klopp’s replacement for Stefan Bajcetic, a fellow adolescent.
In fact, the Spaniard added some much-needed energy to the center of the pitch after being given the chance to compete for a defensive position in the first squad this season after impressing in the junior setup.
Similar to Lavia, he has strong defensive skills. He wins 3.1 duels per game and ranks in the top 2% of European midfielders for the number of dribblers he tries to tackle per 90 minutes, a sign of his eagerness to get involved.
If purchased, the Saints star would be Fabinho’s ideal understudy for the upcoming campaign since the Brazilian star has struggled to uphold his own high standards in the deeper midfield post, most notably being referred to as a “old man” by 90 Minutes journalist Graeme Bailey.
Lavia’s arrival on the red side of Merseyside could therefore be just what Klopp needs to bring in dependable competition for the job.
Given that Klopp is attempting to create the next successful era at Anfield, it is an exciting and transformative time, and joining this ambitious rebuild may be a very alluring opportunity for a young player like Lavia.
