Liverpool are chasing Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia as a potential third summer signing and efficiency will be needed
Having fired the starting pistol early in their summer recruitment with the addition of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool now appear to have the bit between their teeth.
From rumoured interest to the deal being signed, the acquisition of Dominik Szoboszlai for £60m from RB Leipzig was done and dusted in less than a week, with the Reds moving quickly to engage after it emerged the 22-year-old Hungarian attacking midfielder’s release clause was to expire at the end of June.
That would have emboldened Leipzig to either try and keep hold of their most prized asset, or at least for them to eke more money out of the deal that they would have received if his release clause was exercised
As with Mac Allister, Liverpool sought to underpay in relation to the true market value of the player due to their keen eye for a deal. Mac Allister could have wound down his contract at Brighton last year, but he signed an extension with both parties acknowledging, in reality, that it wouldn’t reach its 2025 conclusion. It was done to get him a better deal, but also for Brighton to get a better deal and remove some risk when it came to selling him.
the 19-year-old Belgian having been the breakout star of an otherwise dismal Premier League campaign in 2022/23 for Southampton as the Saints were relegated to the Championship after finishing at the foot of the table.
Lavia arrived at Southampton last summer from Manchester City on a five-year deal. With the wealth of quality in front of him in the midfield ranks, Lavia opted for pastures new in an attempt to burnish his reputation as one of the Premier League’s most exciting new talents.
City looked to protect their own interests by inserting a £40m buyback clause in the deal with the Saints, one that would be active in 2024. But such has been the pace that Lavia has excelled in what was a poor Southampton team, City may now wish that buyback clause was a year earlier.
Speaking in April, City boss Pep Guardiola said: “I’m really impressed with what Romeo has done, and is doing. We have an incredible opinion of him.
“We thought to keep him, but thought we couldn’t give him enough minutes like he has at Southampton.”
Bringing back Lavia into the fold so early probably isn’t in the plan for City, nor would he likely be too keen to risk undoing the good having such exposure to first team football has done for his career and reputation. Southampton would no doubt welcome the interest to spark some kind of bidding war, with Arsenal also rumoured admirers of Lavia.
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