Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea “really appreciate” Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia in advance of a potential summer transfer for him.
Will Lavia depart Southampton?
With Saints finishing last in the Premier League and dropping down to the Championship, the 19-year-old had a difficult season for the side he plays for.
Lavia, who frequently put up strong performances in the centre of the field, came out as definitely one of Southampton’s most outstanding players. Despite his young age, he shown remarkable maturity in his play, sitting in front of the defence and making an average of 2.1 tackles per game.
The $25,000 weekly Belgian’s performances recently haven’t gone unnoticed, and several of the top teams in the nation are considering signing him this summer. One club that has been linked to signing him on a regular basis is Chelsea, although other teams like Liverpool and Manchester United are also said to be interested.
The Blues’ continued interest in Lavia has led to a new development regarding his future.
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Are Chelsea interested in acquiring Lavia?
In an interview with Give Me Sport, Romano stated that Chelsea continue to value Lavia highly in front of a potential summer transfer, despite the lack of recent significant movement on a deal:
“Due to Joe Shields’ directorship, we know Chelsea genuinely values the player. We’ll watch to see what happens next. This is not, however, something that is imminent or progressed at the present.
Lavia, who has been dubbed a “monster” and has been praised for his “supreme ability to pass,” might be such a tremendous long-term acquisition for Chelsea. He may even be seen as the obvious successor to N’Golo Kante, especially if the Frenchman departs when his contract ends this summer. The fact that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola called the Southampton teenager “incredible” after he left the Etihad to join Saints last summer sums up his abilities.
Lavia, 19, has a very high ceiling given that he is already establishing himself as a key player in the Premier League. He has the potential to be Enzo Fernandez’s partner in midfield at Stamford Bridge for many years to come, which would more than make up for the disappointment of Sporting CP’s Manuel Ugarte potentially joining Paris Saint-Germain rather than the Blues.
It is uncertain whether Lavia will choose Chelsea because they do not play in Europe, but it is comforting to see that they still value him highly and have not ruled out making a move for him.
