Chelsea ‘expected to launch’ move for Liverpool-linked midfielder; Guardiola thinks he’s ‘incredible’ – report | OneFootball

Although the signing of Alexis Mac Allister seems hours away, attention will already be turning to who the next man through the door could be but one potential target seems to have attracted the attention of Chelsea.

As reported by Fraser Fletcher for Football Insider: ‘Chelsea are expected to launch a new move for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this week…

‘Liverpool have also registered their interest in signing the Belgium international, who was relegated with Southampton in the 2022-23 campaign’.

READ MORE: “Great business” – Pundit lauds Liverpool’s ‘incredible signing’ of player who’s worth ‘three times’ what we paid

The Belgian has plenty of admirers in the game, with Pep Guardiola declaring: “I am really impressed with what Romeo has done and is doing. We had, and we have, an incredible opinion about him. We thought to keep him, but maybe he would not (get) enough minutes like he has in Southampton” (via Manchester City’s official website).

For a 19-year-old with Premier League experience to have suitors like the clubs and men listed above, it’s seems obvious that his future is going to be spent away from the Championship.

James Pearce confirmed that Romeo Lavia was part of a five-man transfer shopping list for midfield reinforcements at Anfield next season and so it looks like he’s certainly on our radar.

In his exclusive chat with Empire of the Kop, Jacque Talbot also said that there’s ‘certainly interest’ from Jurgen Klopp in the player too.

Chelsea’s entry to this equation may mean that we see the price rise for the former Etihad Stadium academy star, which could soon price us out of making a move.

However, with plenty of other targets in sight – perhaps allowing the Stamford Bridge club to pay over the odds for one potential new player could allow us to find someone else on a similarly shrewd deal to what we have offered for Brighton’s World Cup winner.

Exclusive: Jacque Talbot’s Liverpool transfers update: Liverpool & Newcastle in for Kone, Thuram latest, likelihood of Lavia move… and more!