The Blues are reportedly looking to sign former Manchester City midfielder Romeo Lavia in the January transfer window.
Since moving to the Saints before the start of the season, Lavia has seen his stock rise exponentially. He started Southampton’s first five Premier League games and scored against Chelsea in his team’s 2-1 win at St. Mary’s on 30 August.
The Blues have apparently kept tabs on the Brussels-born defensive midfielder and want to bring him to Stamford Bridge on a priority basis according to CaughtOffside.
The Belgian made the switch to City in the summer of 2020 before leaving the club for Southampton after a two-year stay in Manchester. He made just two senior appearances for the Cityzens, both coming under manager Pep Guardiola in domestic cup competitions.
The former Manchester City youth academy graduate is a key cog in Southampton’s machinery and a move mid-season won’t be the easiest task to pull off for Chelsea.
Lavia is a number six who specializes in the defensive side of the game. The 21-year-old has a long way to go in his playing career and will only improve with time.
However, he is on a long-term contract at Southampton, which only expires in the summer of 2027 which could complicate things for Chelsea. The Saints could see an opportunity to bide their time and cash in on Lavia a few years down the line.