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By: Zaynab Ayegbajeje
Chelsea has made a £48million bid for Romeo Lavia and talks with Southampton could accelerate in the next 24hrs. Though the offer is expected to be rejected as Southampton hold out for their £50million valuation, it comes close enough that talks between the clubs could continue. Liverpool has seen three bids for Lavia rejected so far this summer, the latest of which was worth around £45million.
Chelsea wants to sign two midfielders before the transfer window closes at the end of the month and have also bid for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo and Leeds’ Tyler Adams. Lavia has four years left on his Southampton contract after joining from Manchester City last summer. However, the Belgium international is expected to leave after Saints were relegated from the Premier League last season. Lavia did not come off the bench during Southampton’s win over Sheffield Wednesday on the opening weekend of the season, while he was not named in the group for the Carabo Cup defeat at Gilligham on Tuesday. Lavia was was left out of Southampton’s squad for their 3-1 defeat to Gillingham in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening. Liverpool, who travel to Chelsea in their Premier League opener on Sunday, have been frustrated in their attempts to sign the 19-year-old midfielder and have seen three bids rejected for a player who has made just 29 top-flight appearances.
After their initial two offers of £34m plus £4m and £42m were turned down, the Reds returned with a proposal worth £46m but that too was rejected by the Championship club. Lavia joined Saints from Manchester City last summer as an 18-year-old for an initial £10.5m. The Belgian made his international debut earlier this year when he was called up by the Red Devils for the Euro 2024 qualifier against Sweden and a friendly against Germany. Lavia shone throughout last season, despite Saints’ relegation, featuring 29 times and scoring once. Meanwhile, Southampton captain lames Ward-Prowse is set for a medical at West Ham after the clubs reached a full agreement. Speaking after his side’s loss, Southampton boss Russell Martin suggested that Lavia would still be at the club by the end of the week and that he does not envisage that anything changes before now and the weekend but then, it is football, so anything can happen. He also added that they will be prepared for everything and anything and the guys that are left behind today is not a lack of respect for the competition.
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