Chelsea are assessing the possibility of bringing Southampton’s Romeo Lavia to Stamford Bridge.
What’s the latest on Romeo Lavia to Chelsea?
According to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, the Blues may push for the 19-year-old in the summer transfer window, after Southampton’s relegation to the Championship.
Crook has suggested that Joe Shields, who joined the West London outfit earlier in the campaign as the club’s new Co-Director of recruitment and talent, is leading the case to sign the highly talented teenager.
Shields was the main protagonist in Lavia’s move to the South Coast from Manchester City last summer.
It has been revealed by The Times that the Saints are set to demand around £40m for the youngster, and Liverpool are also an interested party.
The 2021 Champions League winners previously launched an audacious £50m deadline-day swoop for Lavia last August, but this was ultimately rejected.
Why do Chelsea want Romeo Lavia?
The one-cap international has been a shining light in a poor Southampton side, displaying commendable tenacity and composure.
Indeed, throughout 29 Premier League appearances, he has averaged 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game, as well as forging an 86% pass accuracy, according to Sofascore.
That ensured that he ended the campaign as the second-best tackler in the squad while his pass success rate wasn't bettered by anyone, not even the immaculate James Ward-Prowse.
As a result, the former Manchester City starlet has caught the eye of several clubs and has also dazzled Pep Guardiola, who said: “I am really impressed with what Romeo has done and is doing.
“We had, and we have, an incredible opinion about him. We thought to keep him, but maybe he would not (get) enough minutes like he has in Southampton.”
Chelsea are set to begin a monumental rebuild and a new midfielder has been earmarked as one of the priority targets.
The Blues have also been linked with Manuel Ugarte and the 22-year-old could form a frightening partnership alongside Lavia in a completely new-look and youthful midfield.
The Uruguayan made the most tackles (121) in Liga Portugal and the Champions League (29) this term as a marker of his incredibly bullish and aggressive approach to the game.
With the futures of Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Conor Gallagher all looking murky, the addition of these two glimmering prodigies would be an excellent first step in the monstrous rebuild that needs to take place in the capital.
Lavia would be an exciting and promising addition for Pochettino as the club looks towards a brighter dawn.