Manchester United could reportedly rival Liverpool for the signing of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.
Liverpool have already had a bid worth £37million turned down for the teenage midfielder as they seek a replacement for their departed skipper Jordan Henderson and the impending exit of Fabinho. The Saints have set a price tag of around £50 million for the player, with a second offer being prepared by Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.
According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United have joined the transfer race for Romeo Lavia, who is also on the radar of Chelsea and an unnamed foreign club.
Erik ten Hag is not satisfied with the transfer business done so far, with Mason Mount and Andre Onana being the only new players to arrive at Old Trafford. Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund is expected to complete his medical on Tuesday ahead of a big-money move from Atalanta.
Yet, the Man United boss wants more reinforcements, with Lavia among his midfield targets, but the club would have to sell players first before bringing in new players, the report adds.
Romeo Lavia to Manchester United—Right choice for their midfield?
Manchester United have already signed Mason Mount and Andre Onana, and the acquisition of highly-rated Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta would take their spending over €190 million in this transfer window. As things stand, the club must sell before recruiting more new players before the transfer window slams shut in order to comply with the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
Players like Donny van de Beek, Fred, Eric Bailly and Harry Maguire could leave before the window closes down. Other fringe players or academy talents may be loaned out, but everything will depend on the offers the Red Devils receive. It’s clear Erik ten Hag would want another midfielder to come in after Mount, and while Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat at around £25m is a much cheaper and ready-made option, he wants the club to rival Liverpool for Romeo Lavia.
Lavia joined Southampton from Manchester City last summer for £14 million. Although the south-coast side were relegated from the top flight, the teenager was one of the bright spots—making a total of 33 appearances in all competitions. Following their relegation, Lavia is expected to be on the move, and he would be a solid addition to Man United’s midfield.
Despite being only 19, the Belgium midfielder showed maturity beyond his years in his breakout top-flight campaign. Acting as a No.6 for the Saints, he displayed brilliant passing ability, relentless pressing and tackling brilliance to regain possession for his side. The ball-winning brilliance combined with his energy and passing quality would make him a long-term replacement for Casemiro, who is 31.
Due to Lavia’s versatility and huge room for growth, Ten Hag could mould him into a box-to-box midfielder capable of doing a bit of everything. He remains a highly-rated talent that would add considerable depth to this United side as well. Ten Hag does not have a shortage of midfielders, yet, Lavia would make a brilliant long-term investment to this United side returning to the Champions League in the upcoming season.
