Liverpool are intent on signing Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer, Ben Jacobs told FootballFanCast.
What is the latest news regarding Romeo Lavia?
The Reds are reportedly set to submit a second offer worth £45m for the Belgian international after they saw their opening offer of £37m rejected by the Saints, who are holding out for their asking price of £50m.
The player is reportedly keen on the move, and there is confidence according to Sacha Tavoleri that the deal will be completed soon, with payment structures and bonus structures needing to be agreed on, with the Belgian journalist stating that it is just a “matter of time” before the move is complete.
However, there could be a late twist in the saga, with Football Insider reporting that Chelsea are planning a late hijack for the 19-year-old after seeing a fourth bid rejected for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo. The report states that Chelsea would be willing to offer more money than Liverpool, with the Blues having had a longstanding interest in the midfielder, having seen an offer rejected last summer for the player.
Speaking exclusively to FootballFanCast, journalist Jacobs revealed that Liverpool intend to bring in the “destroyer” with the recent business with Saudi Arabian clubs giving the Reds more financial capabilities to complete the move.
What did Ben Jacobs say about Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?
Speaking to FootballFanCast, Jacobs said: “Yeah, I think that Liverpool are very intent on bringing Lavia in, and that's been no secret for the last few weeks. After Szoboszlai joined, they sort of cooled their interest in Khephren Thuram, because those two players were deemed to be too similar, and Lavia became a target at that point, because Liverpool want a kind of destroyer. And then obviously with Henderson and very, very likely Fabinho leaving for Saudi Arabia, they need a midfielder. Luckily for Liverpool, the terms of those Saudi deals are very preferable allowing them freedom to move in the market."
Will Lavia start for Liverpool?
There is a real possibility that upon his arrival, Lavia, who has been hailed as "exquisite", becomes the clubs starting defensive midfielder.
Liverpool have let go of four midfielders this summer in Naby Keita, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jordan Henderson, with Fabinho close to sealing a move to Saudi Arabia himself which would make it five departures in one summer. The Reds have only brought in two midfielders to replace the outgoings, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai joining from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively. However, neither are a “destroyer” in the same way Lavia is, making the 19-year-old the only currently fit defensive midfield option should he join.
The Merseyside outfit do have other options in the position, with Stefan Bajcetic having played in the position last season, and Thiago Alcantara often featuring in a double pivot at Bayern Munich, with Liverpool operating a midfield base similar to a double pivot when Trent Alexander-Arnold inverts. The issue for Jurgen Klopp, however, is both Bajcetic and Thiago are recovering from long-term injuries, and are yet to feature this preseason, with both missing the upcoming Singapore tour in order to stay on Merseyside and continue their recovery at the AXA training centre. With the start of the season in just over two weeks, it would be fair to assume that neither one of the Spaniards will be available to start the clash at Stamford Bridge due to a lack of fitness and match sharpness, leaving only Lavia for the role at the heart of the Reds midfield.
It could be a lot of pressure on young Lavia’s shoulders, however, the youngster showed last season that he can perform at a high Premier League level in his 29 league appearances for the Saints, earning praise from Hall of Fame member Paul Scholes who stated after the South Coast sides defeat to Manchester United "I think he is a player with so much potential and he could potentially go back, but he has settled in so well. He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend."
