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Chelsea have ramped up their efforts to sign Liverpool target Romeo Lavia. As per The Athletic, they have approached Southampton with a £48 million offer for the midfielder.
Liverpool have been in talks to sign Lavia for weeks after selling Fabinho to Al-Ittihad for £40 million. However, they have failed to reach an agreement with Southampton. Their three bids, with the latest being worth £46 million, have been rejected by the Championship side.
Liverpool now risk missing out on Lavia, with Premier League rivals Chelsea entering the race. According to the aforementioned source, Mauricio Pochettino's side have made a £48 million offer, including add-ons, for the Belgium international.
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The Blues' offer is the closest any club have come to meeting Southampton's £50 million valuation of Lavia. Dialogue over a potential deal is said to be ongoing, with the London giants formalizing their offer on Wednesday (August 9). It remains to be seen if the Saints soften their stance to accept the bid.
It's worth noting that Chelsea host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in their Premier League opener on Sunday (August 13). Both clubs are without a specialist defensive midfielder ahead of the game, making the race for Lavia all the more intense.
The London-based club have been heavily linked with Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo this summer. However, they have struggled to convince the Seagulls to lower their £100 million asking price. They have had four bids, the latest being worth £80 million, rejected for the Ecuadorian.
Pochettino's side have also been credited with an interest in Leeds United's Tyler Adams. The USNMT international reportedly has a £20 million release clause in his contract, making him a cheaper alternative to the aforementioned players.
How has Chelsea and Liverpool target Romeo Lavia fared for Southampton?
Romeo Lavia joined Southampton from Manchester City in a deal worth up to £14 million last summer. He quickly established himself as a key player for the Saints, making 34 appearances across competitions last term. However, the Belgian could not prevent the club from dropping down to the Championship.
Chelsea reportedly had a bid rejected by Southampton for Lavia just weeks after they had signed him from City last year. They offered to pay the Saints £50 million for the midfielder but were immediately met with rejection. They will be hopeful of convincing the Hampshire outfit to sell the player this time.
Lavia is yet to feature for Southampton this season despite the club having played two games. He remained an unused substitute in their 2-1 Championship win against Sheffield Wednesday. The 19-year-old was then left out of their squad to face Gillingham in the EFL Cup this week.
