Chelsea could push to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia in the summer transfer window, as per talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.
The Blues will be looking to bolster their midfield during the summer, and the 19-year-old could be an option for them.
According to a recent report from The Times, Chelsea and Liverpool are keen on Lavia who would cost in the region of £40m. Manchester City are not expected to activate their clause to re-sign him, which means the Blues have a good chance to get his signature.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Crook has suggested that Joe Shields, who is one of the members of Chelsea’s recruitment team, is pushing for the Blues to sign Lavia, but at the same time, the club hierarchy is not utterly convinced of landing the youngster.
Shields has played a key role in bringing Lavia from Manchester City. He joined the Blues earlier in the season from Southampton, and it doesn’t come as a surprise that he is urging the club to sign the youngster.
Crook said to GiveMeSport:
“Lavia is being pushed by Joe Shields, who was the head of recruitment at Southampton and instrumental in getting him from Manchester City.
“Some of the Chelsea hierarchy are not as convinced, but it remains a possibility.”
Will Pochettino sign him?
Mauricio Pochettino, the new Chelsea boss, is already working on transfers, and adding new midfielders could be his priority.
Mason Mount is likely to leave the club, while Mateo Kovacic’s future is also uncertain. Pochettino loves to work with young players, and he could be willing to take a punt on Lavia.
However, Chelsea are checking on other options as well and could look for big-money signings instead. Lavia left Manchester City in order to establish himself as a regular in the Premier League, and he won’t be happy to play in the Championship.
Chelsea finished 12th in the league this season and Pochettino needs more quality players to take the club into the top four once again. Lavia has shown immense potential in his first campaign playing senior football, and he could be a smart investment for the Blues.
