The very latest on Romeo Lavia as Chelsea look to sign the Southampton midfielder as well as Brighton star Moises Caicedo as they continue to battle with Liverpool
Chelsea are interested in signing Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia (Image: Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
football.london has been told Chelsea are ‘seriously moving’ for Romeo Lavia from Southampton as well as Moises Caicedo, who they are now expecting to sign.
The Blues saw a £48million offer for Lavia rejected by the Saints on Wednesday evening. This comes after Liverpool, who are also very keen on signing Caicedo, saw three offers for Lavia turned down – with the highest at around £46m.
Chelsea are confident they will sign Caicedo despite Liverpool agreeing a £110m deal with Brighton for the midfielder. The Ecuadorian, however, has informed Liverpool he only wants to move to Stamford Bridge after giving them his word earlier in the summer transfer window.
Many thought it would be Caicedo instead of Lavia, but that is not the case. Chelsea want to sign both and are now pressing ahead of Liverpool in the race for the midfielders. Sources have told football.london that Chelsea have gone over the £50m Southampton have valued Lavia at all summer and a deal is now close to completion. The offer from Chelsea consists of £52m up front and a further £3m in add-ons.
Mauricio Pochettino wants to add two new central midfielders to the club in the coming days following a mass exodus this summer. The likes of Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mateo Kovacic have already left the club this summer on permanent deals.
Pochettino, when speaking to the media earlier on Friday afternoon, revealed that the club are still looking at adding midfielders in while the window is open. He said: “Yes, but I think it is obvious, no? It’s obvious when you look at the squad and compare to last season, too many midfielders leave the squad and we have different options We are working hard to try to see, but always being very respectful with all of the names that are there and the clubs.
“It is so important for us to be very respectful, that is the way I love to work and the way we need to work at the club.”
Soucre: football.london
