Chelsea have officially submitted a surprising bid worth £48 million for highly sought-after Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, as revealed by Fabrizio Romano.
With the intention of reinforcing Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield choices, Chelsea are actively pursuing the acquisition of a few midfield players this month. Lavia has emerged as a top candidate in their sights.
The Blues are actively engaged in ongoing discussions with Brighton & Hove Albion regarding Moises Caicedo. Despite facing rejections for multiple bids, sources reveal that Chelsea have initiated negotiations for Lavia as well.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Lavia is not recent, as their keenness has been fueled by Joe Shields, the co-director of recruitment and talent, who played a role in bringing Lavia to Southampton in 2023.
Chelsea have submitted formal bid to Southampton for Roméo Lavia worth £48m fee 🚨🔵 #CFC
Negotiations ongoing between clubs as Liverpool last proposal was worth £45m and rejected. pic.twitter.com/6NjHx5o8ZB
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 9, 2023
While negotiations with Brighton regarding Caicedo persist, Chelsea’s interest in Lavia has gained momentum as they navigate their summer transfer plans.
Southampton, who have reached an agreement to transfer their captain James Ward-Prowse to West Ham United for £30 million, are setting a price of £50 million for young Belgian talent Romeo Lavia.
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Chelsea’s current proposal stands at £48 million, falling short of Southampton’s demand, although it represents the highest bid they have received in the current summer transfer window.
Liverpool initially held a prominent position in the race for Lavia, yet their attempts to secure the 19-year-old midfielder have been met with rejection for three consecutive bids. Their most recent proposal for Lavia amounted to £45 million.
Southampton have grown increasingly confident that their £50 million valuation for Lavia will find be met by one of the interested parties.
