Chelsea Expected to Win Transfer Race for Romeo Lavia Despite Liverpool’s Bid
Southampton’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, has revealed that he expects Chelsea to come out on top in the race to sign Romeo Lavia, despite Liverpool previously having a bid accepted for the midfielder. Lavia, who impressed for Southampton last season despite their relegation to the Championship, has attracted interest from both Premier League giants.
Liverpool, who have already missed out on midfield target Moises Caicedo to Chelsea, could be set for another transfer blow as Lavia closes in on a move to Stamford Bridge. Brighton had accepted a British record £111m offer from Liverpool for Caicedo, but the Ecuador international ultimately chose to join Chelsea for £115m.
Wilcox confirmed that Liverpool had also had a bid accepted for Lavia, but he suggested that Chelsea are currently leading the race for the 19-year-old. Speaking at the BBC Solent Fans’ Forum event, Wilcox said, “It’s well known that we’ve had some significant interest in Romeo, we’ve had an offer which we accepted from Liverpool. Then Chelsea came to the table. So we’re currently in negotiation with Chelsea now.”
Despite substantial interest from Liverpool, Lavia is believed to be pushing for a move to Chelsea. Ex-England defender Gary Neville has expressed his concerns for Liverpool if they miss out on both Caicedo and Lavia. Neville stated that if Chelsea were to secure both players, there would be “massive questions” at Liverpool, as it would be very uncharacteristic of the club to miss out on such deals.
Lavia, who joined Southampton from Manchester City in 2022, has made 34 appearances for the club and made his international debut for Belgium earlier this year. With the summer transfer window set to close at the end of the month, the race for Lavia’s signature is expected to be concluded in the next few days.
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In conclusion, it seems that Chelsea is likely to win the transfer race for Romeo Lavia, despite Liverpool’s previous bid being accepted by Southampton. The midfielder’s impressive performances have attracted interest from both clubs, but Lavia is believed to be leaning towards a move to Stamford Bridge. If Chelsea were to secure both Lavia and Moises Caicedo, who Liverpool had also targeted, it would raise questions about Liverpool’s transfer strategy. The race for Lavia’s signature is expected to be concluded in the next few days, as the summer transfer window draws to a close.