Liverpool are eager to acquire Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer, according to reports.
Liverpool may try and include players in exchange or additional add-ons in their bid to try and sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.
According to Sky Sports, Southampton are confident of being able to sell Lavia for the £50 million price tag they are demanding for the Belgium international to leave the South Coast.
Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have all held conversations with the 19-year-old’s representatives over the possibility of signing Lavia; however, his suitors have concerns over the fee quoted for the youngster.
As per The Telegraph, Liverpool may be willing to offload veteran midfielder Thiago Alcantara this window, as he has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia in his services.
In turn, the Reds could turn to Lavia as a potential replacement; nevertheless, his £50 million price is said to be ‘too prohibitive’ for Jurgen Klopp to consider bidding for the enforcer at present.
Manchester City retain a buyback clause for Lavia that stands at £40 million, which they inserted when he joined Southampton back in 2022; however, it doesn’t activate until 2024, enabling rival clubs to steal a march on the Citizens this summer, according to Football Insider.
Of course, the German manager has already made moves in the transfer window to bolster his midfield, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai joining from Brighton and RB Leipzig, respectively.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Romano reckons that Liverpool may be cute in negotiations and either include additional add-ons or offer players in exchange to try and seal a deal to sign Lavia.
Romano said: “For Romeo Lavia, the price tag is around £50million.
“But sources believe that maybe, with some add-ons or with a creative formula such as including some players, they can find a way with Southampton to reach an agreement.”
Shortly after moving to Southampton from Manchester City, Lavia earned high praise from Manchester United legend Paul Scholes, who was speaking on BT Sport quoted by The Daily Mail before the Red Devils took on Southampton at St Mary’s last year, as the pundit stated:
“He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend. He does not want to get forward too much and sits in front of the back four and sets the play in motion from there.”
Scholes’ summary of Lavia’s attributes is a high testament to the 19-year-old’s qualities and potential to develop. Unsurprisingly, several elite sides are keen on offering him a return to the English top flight.
Last term, Lavia made 34 appearances in all competitions for Southampton and registered one goal alongside a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.
His capacity to efficiently recycle possession will have attracted interest from top clubs. According to WhoScored, Lavia maintained a pass success rate of 86.4% in the Premier League, showing commendable maturity for his age.
Getting stuck in, Lavia also managed to win 93 tackles and interceptions combined, displaying courage and tenacity in the Saints’ engine room, according to FBRef.
Lavia looks set for an intriguing next few weeks, where we will discover more about his potential next destination, as an exit from Southampton looks to be sealed before the end of the window.
