Romeo Lavia of Southampton is still a target for Arsenal, and he “remains” on their radar, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Will Lavia be acquired by Arsenal?
The recruitment crew at Arsenal has hardly had time to breathe lately after devoting all of their time and energy on clinching contracts for Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber.
Mikel Arteta will require major reinforcements to catch the champions, especially with the added burden of Champions League play. The Gunners want to assemble a club that is capable of going further and unseating Manchester City next season.
Although Rice continues to be their top priority in the midfield, they will also need a second midfielder since Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey’s departures from the Emirates look imminent. Romeo Lavia, 19, may very well be that midfielder.
Fabrizio Romano claims that despite increased interest from Liverpool, Lavia is still very much on the Gunners’ short list.
The Italian remarked, “We already told you last week that Romeo Lavia is on Arsenal’s list, that Arsenal had some encouraging conversations on both the club and player’s side, but there hasn’t been an official bid.”
“We are aware that solving issues with Rice, Timber, and many others is the top priority. It is vital to note that Romeo Lavia continues to be on Arsenal’s list of players they value, even though Havertz will undoubtedly be the official statement.
Romeo Lavia is thus on Arsenal’s radar, but from what I gather, Liverpool has also begun negotiations with Romeo Lavia to sign.
Romano also says that the Gunners might need to hold off on taking any action about their interest in Lavia until Partey’s future has been settled. But by now, other teams in the queue might be ahead of them.
The Premier League runners-up from the previous campaign had also expressed a strong interest in Ilkay Gundogan, a midfielder who might have followed in the footsteps of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko by moving to north London, but the German has now joined Barcelona.
What might Arsenal anticipate from Lavia?
For prospective suitors, the fact that Lavia has drawn inspiration from former Manchester City teammate Fernandinho can only be a good thing given that the Belgian shares certain important traits with the 53-cap Brazilian international.
Lavia is commended for his “professionalism” and “consistency” and is said to be “head and shoulders” above all of Southampton’s other players this season, however that is a very low standard. He also has excellent defensive awareness and reads the game effectively.
Romano, who the Saints value at more than £40 million, might end up being a steal in the overheated transfer market, especially for a player who is only 19 and has already played a season in the top division.
In the absence of Partey, Lavia may give Arsenal a substantial amount of defensive consistency. Should Declan Rice join Man City, Lavia would also be a less expensive option.
