In the first half of Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Southampton last November — the Reds’ final game before the

World Cup break — center-back Joe Gomez battled for a loose ball just inside the Saints half.

 

The man he was up against was former Manchester City midfielder Roméo Lavia, who got there first and dinked the ball

delicately over his outstretched boot. After bringing it under control, he safely shuffled it onto teammate James Ward-

Prowse as Gomez tried to intervene, and Southampton was able to go back on the offensive.

 

Jürgen Klopp didn’t know it at the time, but this was his first glimpse of a player who now looks destined to play for

Liverpool.

 

That particular duel against Gomez stood out as a highlight, because it demonstrated Lavia’s excellent footwork. He showed

in his first year at top-flight level that he’s able to gather a bouncing ball quickly and evade challenges through impressive

close control.

Those abilities led Southampton writer Fraser Spinney to compare Lavia to former Manchester United midfielder Paul

Pogba (via This is Anfield), and while Reds fans may bristle at that statement given that Pogba was largely a $116m (£90m/

€105m) disappointment for their arch-rivals, we’re still talking about World Cup winner who had all the characteristics to be

dominant in midfield.

 

Gomez certainly wasn’t Lavia’s only victim — in fact, he developed a habit of showing up big names in his meetings with

some of the top sides in the division.

On the opening day of the season against Spurs, Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski converged on Lavia on the edge of his

own penalty area, but he simply backheeled it through the sliding-doors challenge before he was brought down. He doesn’t

take long to map his way out of high-pressure situations.

 

When Southampton visited Chelsea in February, he shrugged off Mateo Kovačić, jinked past Enzo Fernández and forced

João Félix to go to ground and bring him down. Here, he displayed the strength required to keep his body between man and

ball, and the balance which makes him so difficult to dispossess.

 

And at Old Trafford in March, he shaped his body as if he was going to retreat towards his own goal but then darted the

other way, leaving Jadon Sancho on the floor before nicking the ball past a lunging Antony. This is one of many instances

where he’s lulled players into over-committing before making them look silly.

 

Because Lavia is so agile, he can leave the opponent guessing about which way he’s going to go before quickly shifting the

ball past them. Sometimes he doesn’t even need to touch the ball, simply spinning and letting it roll through his legs, then

sprinting away.

 

Intriguingly, Spinney also compares Lavia to N’Golo Kanté, another member of that World Cup-winning France side, in his

ability to cover ground and anticipate danger, though he does stress that ‘he has a long way to go’ before he can match him.

You can certainly see where he’s coming from. Lavia is usually able to predict which direction the ball will go, identifying

clues from players’ body shape and glances and then closing off the angle or halting their dribble.

 

He seems to be one step ahead of both his opponent and even his own teammates in his reading of the game and his reaction

times. There are moments where it looks as if the man on the ball is surprised by the speed at which he arrives on the scene.

 

That, of course, is a testament to Lavia’s intelligence, and he combines that with good speed across the ground to get there in

time.

The 19-year-old doesn’t just patrol the defensive third either, pushing up into the middle third of the pitch to win possession

and also covering both flanks.

 

This blend of Pogba and Kanté-esque traits makes him a unique number six, and gives him a ceiling few in his position can

match.

 

While the price tag may seem steep initially — Southampton wants $64m (£50m/€58m), via The Athletic — it could

certainly look like a bargain in the long term.

READ MORE:

Liverpool: Trent would ignite Federico Chiesa

The Juventus winger would flourish on the Liverpool flanks…

 

 

 

 

Liverpool are reassembling the squad after a forgettable campaign, and while the onus is on the midfield, Juventus’ Federico

Chiesa remains a target to bolster the attacking ranks.

What’s the latest on Federico Chiesa to Liverpool?

This comes after Calciomercato’s report that the Old Lady consider the Italy international expendable and will consider his

departure from Turin if their €70m (£60m) valuation.

Several clubs, including Liverpool, have made enquiries this year but are yet to have tabled a formal offer, and given the

Reds’ expenditure and emphasis on the midfield and defence, would likely only make a move for the 25-year-old if Juventus

would be open to a sale for a smaller fee.

 

Despite this, prior reports confirming Jurgen Klopp’s desire to see Chiesa at Anfield suggest that there is concrete intrigue

there, and the possibility remains that discussions could intensify before the summer window swings its doors shut.

How good is Federico Chiesa?

If Klopp does decide to give the green light and rumours surrounding Chiesa take a more tangible form, then Liverpool’s

offensive force would be completed with a dynamic and tenacious new winger.

 

The 42-cap ace suffered an ACL injury in January 2022 to disrupt his progress with Juventus, and while the 22/23 campaign

was marred by his fitness issues, the 41-cap gem started to return to form in the closing weeks and clinched four direct

contributions across the final five matches of the Serie A term.

 

Described as a “wizard” by Liverpool reporter DaveOCKOP, Chiesa ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and

wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for assists, the top 15% for progressive carries, the top 16% for successful take-ons

and the top 13% for tackles per 90, as per FBref, which illustrates his prowess and energy as a driving force on the wing.

 

The £153k-per-week gem would be bolstered by the efforts of Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is

renowned as one of football’s most creative and naturally talented pass masters, having been hailed as “sensational” by

commentator Martin Tyler.

 

 

 

 

 

The 24-year-old ranks among the top 8% of full-backs for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, and the top 2% for

passes attempted and progressive passes per 90, which further underscores his ball-playing skills that could complement the

forward-surging game of Chiesa.

 

It could prove to be a “devastating” concoction – as the Juventus star has been called by Paolo Di Canio – with Chiesa’s 22

goals and 20 assists with Juventus confirming that he boasts the varied approach to open up several dimensions to the

attack, consequently adding to the overall flow of Klopp’s side as they look to rekindle the intensity that was essential to the

illustrious success of recent years.

 

Dubbed a “diamond” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Chiesa would glisten at Anfield and could wreak havoc in and around

the danger area with a first-rate star such as Alexander-Arnold behind him, orchestrating the play, and Liverpool’s attack

could cement itself at the forefront of European football for years to come.

 

While there may be hefty competition for the former Fiorentina man’s signature, Klopp would be wise to steal a march on

those rival suitors.

Chelsea: Pochettino “in the running” to sign “sensational” attacker

Would Michael Olise be a good signing to help kickstart the Mauricio Pochettino revolution at Chelsea?

HIGHLIGHTS

Chelsea are “still in the running” for Crystal Palace’s exciting young winger Michael Olise as he hasn’t “agreed a move with

anyone yet”, claims journalist Paul Brown.

Is Michael Olise joining Chelsea this summer?

The Blues have finally started to turn their attention to incomings this summer after kicking off the window with a fire sale

of players that saw former stars like Mason Mount and Kai Havertz join Premier League rivals.

The most significant signing the West Londoners have made so far this window is that of Senegalese forward Nicolas

Jackson, who they signed from La Liga side Villarreal for £30m.

Alongside Jackson, the club have also brought in youngsters Diego Moreira from Benfica and Angelo Gabriel from Brazilian

side Santos.

RB Leipzig’s exciting and versatile attacker, Christopher Nkunku, also officially joined the team this summer, but the deal to

sign him was already agreed in December.

It looks like Mauricio Pochettino wants even more wingers in his team now, as according to Football Insider, the Blues have

a ‘concrete interest’ in Michael Olise, who has been hailed as “sensational”.

 

 

 

 

 

The publication states that the player has a £35m release clause and that if it were to be activated, Palace would be helpless

to resist.

 

Unfortunately for the two-time European champions, treble-winning Manchester City are also said to be interested in the

player as a potential replacement for the departing Riyad Mahrez.

 

This interest looks to have spooked Chelsea into action, as RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins has reported that the club

have submitted a €45m (£39m) bid, £4m over the release clause, to try and get the deal sorted as quickly as possible.

What has Paul Brown said about Michael Olise and Chelsea?

Brown explained that Pochettino’s side are still firmly in the race to sign Olise as he hasn’t made any decisions yet.

 

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: “I’m not surprised Chelsea are going for him. I don’t believe he’s agreed a move with

anyone yet.

“So I think Chelsea is still in the running. And that’s definitely one to watch.”

Who else could be joining Chelsea this summer?

With so many players having already left this summer, the Blues have been linked to a whole host of new faces in the

transfer market.

 

One transfer that looks like it is getting closer to being completed is that of Montpellier’s young striker Elye Wahi. According

to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, the club have already entered into talks with their French counterparts to sign the

dynamic forward, with an agreement “getting closer”.

 

Any deal will likely include a loan move for the youngster to get more game time, but he has impressed in Ligue 1 this year,

scoring 19 goals and providing five assists for his teammates in only 29 starts, per WhoScored.

 

 

 

 

 

A slightly more established striker that has been touted for a move to West London is Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic. However,

the major stumbling block for this deal is the money involved.

 

According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea have deemed his wages to be prohibitive for a deal as the club look to restructure their

wage tiers. This isn’t helped by the £77m price tag that the Old Lady have placed on his head either.

 

Whatever happens with Olise, Wahi and Vlahovic, you can expect Chelsea to be incredibly busy for the rest of the transfer

window, as they always are.