Chelsea have opened negotiations with Southampton for highly-rated midfielder Romeo Lavia ahead of the summer transfer window, according to football.london.
The Blues are expected to offload several players to meet Financial Fair Play requirements after spending £323m in the winter transfer window and splashing out close to £300m last summer.
N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Mason Mount are all on the verge of leaving Stamford Bridge this summer, therefore the club will need to bring in midfield reinforcements and Lavia has emerged as a potential transfer target.
The newspaper claims The Saints will be losing several key players following their relegation from the Premier League. Long-serving skipper James Ward-Prowse is valued at £50m and Lavia would cost a similar fee.
The 19-year-old was one of the standout players for Southampton, racking up 35 appearances across all competitions and making two goal contributions. He moved to St Mary’s Stadium from Manchester City last summer and has since become a fan favourite.
He has represented Belgium at all youth levels from the U-15 side to the senior national team. He has made 13 appearances for the youth teams and capped once for the senior side.
The defensive midfielder has been included in Belgium’s U-21 squad for the upcoming U21 Euros which takes place in Romania and Georgia from June 21.
Reinforcement
New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is said to be keen on strengthening his midfield in the summer as he officially begins work on July 1. The former Tottenham gaffer is believed to be prepared to sign his own players despite the current midfield players at his disposal.
According to football.london, the Blues sent scouts to watch Lavia extensively last season and the West Londoners have now opened formal talks to try and thrash out a deal.
The report continues that any possible move for Lavia would not rule out a swoop for Brighton youngster Moses Caicedo. Chelsea have also been linked with a move for Declan Rice, however, Arsenal are closing in on signing West Ham United midfielder after agreeing personal terms with the 24-year-old.
Strengthening the engine room was not deemed a priority but the imminent exit of Kovacic, Mount, and Kante have affected the transfer plans of Chelsea. Losing these players would definitely free up space for the Blues to sign midfielders to bolster their squad.
At age 19, Lavia has a lot to improve on to become of the sought-after midfielders in the world, and playing under Pochettino would further enhance his potential as the Argentine has a good track record of developing players.
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