Southampton are claimed to have rejected an improved approach of £45 million from Liverpool for midfielder Romeo Lavia, with the Saints standing firm at their £50 million asking price.
The 19-year-old joined St Mary’s from Manchester City last summer for £14 million, and despite Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League, he impressed during his first season in professional football.
Lavia made 29 games in the English Premier League for Southampton, 26 of which were starts, and scored his first goal in first-team football against Chelsea in August 2022.
Due to his outstanding exploits on the South Coast, the kid was selected for the Belgium national team during their March internationals, and he made his debut for his country during a friendly win over Germany.
According to Sky Sports News, Liverpool’s pursuit of Lavia will continue until the end of the transfer season, with Southampton rejecting a third bid for the midfielder in the region of £45 million.
According to reports, the second-tier Saints are looking to earn £50 million from the sale of the 19-year-old, which would make Lavia the Championship’s most expensive departure of all time.
Apart from Liverpool, other clubs interested in signing Romeo Lavia
According to the source, Chelsea are keeping an eye on Lavia’s status as a St Mary’s exit appears inevitable, with Mauricio Pochettino eager to enhance his engine-room options following the departures of Mason Mount and N’Golo Kante.
Manchester City has a horse in the race as well, with the treble-winning Citizens poised to receive 20% of Southampton’s transfer fee for the kid this summer.
Jurgen Klopp is rebuilding Liverpool’s midfield, bringing in Alexis MacAllister from Brighton & Hove Albion for £35 million and signing Dominik Szoboszlai from Bundesliga club RB Leipzig for £60 million.
The Reds are thought to be looking for more reinforcements in that area of the pitch, especially after the exits of Fabinho and former captain Jordan Henderson to the Saudi Pro League.
Liverpool have reportedly made a £21.5 million approach for Celta Vigo’s Gabri Veiga, with Chelsea and Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain apparently interested in the Spain Under-21 international.
Lavia was part of the Southampton squad that travelled to Hillsborough on Friday night for their second-tier opening against Sheffield Wednesday, but he was an unused substitute against the Owls amid heated transfer rumours.
West Ham United-related Ward, James-Prowse started in the Saints’ engine room alongside William Smallbone and Carlos Alcaraz, but it is unclear whether the England international will be at the club by the end of the transfer window.
An attack-minded midfield trio of Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, and Cody Gakpo started Liverpool’s final pre-season friendly against German side Darmstadt on Monday night, though Klopp is expected to be more conservative in his selections when the Reds travel to Stamford Bridge in their Premier League opener this weekend.
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