While not a like-for-like change, Lavia could fill the Liverpool captain’s boots this season.
Liverpool’s interest in Southampton ace Romeo Lavia has hardly been inconspicuous this summer, and the precocious
defensive midfielder remains firmly at the forefront of Jurgen Klopp’s transfer consideration.
What’s the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?
That’s according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who has taken to Twitter to state that Liverpool are “still in contact” with
the Belgian’s agents, though Premier League rivals Chelsea are also keeping an eye on the situation.
This is corroborated by Football Insider, who have also recently stated that the Reds are confident of warding off
competition for Lavia’s signature and hope to reach an agreement by the end of the month.
The 19-year-old anchor was Southampton’s shining light in a dismal campaign that ended in relegation from the top-flight,
and due to the calibre of his performances, the Saints hierarchy believes that their starlet is worth £50m, though Liverpool
are reluctant to venture past the £40m mark.
What position is Romeo Lavia?
A product of the long time of superlative talent stemming from Manchester City’s esteemed youth academy, Lavia signed for
the south coast club one year ago in a deal that could rise to £14m.
While Southampton did suffer the plummet into the second tier, Lavia was exceptional throughout a tough term and belied
his tender age and inexperience at the heart of his outfit, earning praise as an “absolute monster” from reporter Benjy
Nurick for one particular performance.
As per Sofascore, the one-cap international recorded an average rating of 6.8 in the Premier League, notably completing
88% of his passes and averaging 2.1 tackles per game as he held the shoddy Saints system together.
The ace also ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for blocks per 90, as
per FBref, which illustrates his aptitude as a defensive whiz in the centre.
A recent report from The Analyst also displayed his prowess in ball retention, with only 15 midfielders who played over 800
minutes in the English top-flight last term winning possession more than he did per 90 (7.5), with the report also offering a
graphic illustrating the ubiquitous, all-encompassing nature of his ball-winning skills.
He could be the perfect replacement for Reds captain Jordan Henderson, who has all but completed an initial £12m
transfer to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ettifaq after receiving a lucrative offer.
While Henderson plies his trade slightly further up the pitch, he has been described as the heartbeat and energy of
Liverpool’s midfield over the past several years, paramount to the illustrious success under Klopp’s tutelage.
He can also feature competently as a defensive midfielder, which would have most likely been a role he assumed over the
next year had he decided to remain on Merseyside, with Fabinho also attracting interest from Saudi side Al Ittihad, who are
hoping to sign the Brazilian star for £40m.
Previously called “exquisite” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, Lavia has been the centrepiece of Southampton’s midfield at a
tumultuous time and there is every possibility that he could transcend his own exploits with a move to Anfield, growing into
one of the most destructive forces in the game.
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