Chelsea make official bid to hijack Belgian wonderkid

In transfer news that is reportedly unrelated to the signing of Tyler Adams and the ongoing negotiations for Moises Caicedo, Chelsea have tabled an official bid for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia. The Manchester City product has been a hotly chased prospect over the last few seasons, and things are now coming to a head with both Chelsea and Liverpool in desperate need of midfield reinforcements.

The Blues’ official bid for Lavia was reportedly worth £48 million – £3 million more than Liverpool’s bid – but the Saints have shot down that bid as well. In return, the Reds are now registering interest in Caicedo, which suggests this whole ordeal could be a smokescreen. If they cannot afford Lavia, it’s highly unlikely they would be willing to splurge on Caicedo.

The Ecuadorian only wants a Chelsea move at this stage, so if Liverpool are bidding lower than the Blues, Brighton & Hove Albion will be pushed even further towards folding and selling the player. As far as it concerns Chelsea though, they are genuinely interested in Lavia, evidenced by the official bid. The club is aiming for him and Caicedo, after having already purchased Adams from Leeds United.

Can Chelsea finally get their man?

Chelsea’s interest in Lavia goes back to last year, but things never got close between them or Southampton. Now, the 19 year old is there for the taking if the Blues are willing to go the extra distance. The club’s first bid was worth £48 million, but Ben Jacobs has reported that the Saints are looking for closer to £50 million or more. If the sweet spot is between £50 and £60 million, the difference is one that should be negligible to Chelsea.

This means that the Blues would again be spending a boatload of money in one transfer window, but this would be arguably more beneficial to the club long-term. Chelsea have very little outside of Enzo Fernandez; they’ve considered selling Conor Gallagher multiple times and Andrey Santos is still young and unproven in the Premier League.

Lavia is young too, but the Belgian has the necessary skill and experience to set Chelsea up for success for a very long time. That is, as long as the Blues are willing to make it happen.