Liverpool have reportedly had a bid worth about £35m plus add-ons rejected by Southampton for Romeo Lavia. They are expected to return with a second offer.
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have arrived at Anfield this summer but James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arthur Melo have departed while Fabio Carvalho has left the club on loan. The Reds are in talks to sell Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to clubs in Saudi Arabia, which leaves Jurgen Klopp in desperate need of more midfield reinforcements ahead of the 2023/24 season.
According to The Guardian, Liverpool have identified Romeo Lavia as a key target to strengthen their midfield unit but must pay Southampton a £50m package for acquiring his services.
Lavia, 19, joined the Saints from Manchester City last summer and stood out despite the south coast club’s relegation. The Belgian midfielder missed a chunk of the campaign due to a hamstring injury, limiting him to just 29 appearances. The teenager was subject to a £50m deadline day approach from Chelsea last September, despite only having joined Southampton a few months earlier.
Romeo Lavia to Liverpool—Should the Reds splash £50m for his services?
Jurgen Klopp has prioritised revamping his midfield unit after Liverpool’s poor displays throughout the 2023/24 campaign. The German tactician has already moved to bolster his midfield with the additions of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. The Reds allowed a few players to leave upon the expiry of their contract, and now with Jordan Henderson edging closer to a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq, Klopp has ramped up his efforts to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton.
Lavia enjoyed a brilliant breakout season in the Premier League with Southampton, catching the eye with his passing, energy, spatial awareness and game intelligence. The 19-year-old would be a fantastic addition to Klopp’s Liverpool and provide them with a solid base to build their attacks from.
Of course, it remains to be seen whether or not Fabinho will remain at Liverpool amid interest from Saudi Arabia. But it certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea if he stayed put for another year with Lavia learning the tricks of the trade from the Brazilian as well as competing with him for a spot in the first XI. Plus, creative players such as Mac Allister and Szoboszlai could well be aided by a pressing, relentless defensive midfielder’s presence behind them, such as Lavia.
With Mac Allister and Szoboszlai expected to take up the No.8 spots in a midfield three, it is likely that the Southampton starlet would slot in as a No.6, allowing him to shield the backline as well as bring balance to Klopp’s side. As Szoboszlai is undoubtedly a real goal threat, the aim will be to keep the Hungarian operating at the top end of the pitch as much as possible, thus, having a workhorse presence behind him such as Lavia to put in the hard yards defensively.
All in all, it seems there are a lot of moving pieces in Liverpool’s midfield overhaul this summer, and Romeo Lavia might be the next crucial piece of the puzzle. Thus, the Reds must not hesitate to splash £50m to sign him from Southampton.
