Manchester United target Southampton’s Romeo Lavia | OneFootball

Manchester United are among the clubs keeping tabs on Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, according to the Daily Mail.

The defensive midfielder is a target for Chelsea and they will likely push for him this summer.

Man Utd and Arsenal are also monitoring the 19-year-old as he continues to impress in his first season in the Premier League.

Lavia joined Southampton from Manchester City on a five-year deal worth up to £14 million last summer.

His ability to break up attacks, shield the ball and keep things ticking in the middle of the park has not gone unnoticed.

He suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out for a while, but he has been solid on either side of the spell on the sidelines.

City have a buyback clause in the deal worth around £40m but cannot activate it until 2024.

Southampton face a fight to hold on to the highly-rated Belgian barely a year after he joined the club. Things could be worse if they are relegated at the end of the season.

Apart from Casemiro, Manchester United do not have another pure defensive midfielder. They could sign Lavia to understudy the Brazilian midfielder.

United are also interested in Jude Bellingham. The club see him as a marquee signing for next summer, although they would need to break the bank to secure his services.

Erik ten Hag still wants to bring Frenkie De Jong to Old Trafford. The Red Devils have also been linked with West Ham United’s Declan Rice.

All these targets will likely cost massive sums, and United’s spending this summer will be limited. The takeover that fans hoped would inject funds into the club has stalled.

United have record debt levels and must move cautiously in the transfer market.