Romeo Lavia Transfer Battle: Chelsea and Liverpool Compete for Southampton Star
The transfer window is open and two of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, Chelsea and Liverpool, are locked in a battle to sign Southampton’s Romeo Lavia. The 19-year-old Belgian international signed for the Saints last summer from Manchester City and has been impressive in his debut season.
Chelsea Open Negotiations
Chelsea have already opened negotiations with Southampton over a deal for Lavia, but the Saints are expecting a lot of money for the teenager. According to The Sun, Liverpool are also plotting a bid for Lavia as they look to convince him to pick Anfield instead of Stamford Bridge.
Southampton’s Valuation
Southampton are one of the most valuable assets so they want to make sure they maximise their profit when he inevitably leaves and they are thought to be demanding as much as £50m for him. This is partly because there are clauses in his contract signed after moving from City, including that his former club will receive 25 per cent of any sell-on fee.
Manchester City’s Buy-Back Clause
Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions reportedly also have a buy-back clause of £40m for Lavia, although there is no suggestion they are preparing to pay that this summer. The south coast club are also hoping for £50m for James Ward-Prowse, with Newcastle and Aston Villa interested in the England international.
Conclusion
It looks set to be a busy summer of transfer activity at Southampton with a number of their star players likely to attract bids from Premier League clubs. It remains to be seen who will win the battle for Romeo Lavia, but it looks set to be a transfer saga that will run right up until the end of the window.