According to a tweet from Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Liverpool are getting ready to present their third and final offer to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.
The latest bid is expected to meet Southampton’s demand of £40 million with additional add-ons. The 19-year-old has expressed his desire to join Liverpool during this summer transfer window.
There is a belief that the Reds are the only club capable of providing a suitable package to sign Belgian midfielder Lavia.
While Chelsea have shown interest in him amidst difficulties in securing the Moises Caicedo deal, Liverpool remains in the lead.
🔴🇧🇪 #LiverpoolFC ready to make a third & ultimate offer for Romeo Lavia. I understand the bid will meet the 40M£ transfer fee expectations by #SaintsFC + add-ons. Player’s side just waiting for #LFC to activate but informed the club his desire to join the Reds. There’s a feeling… pic.twitter.com/7KH2c7mbTS
— Sacha Tavolieri (@sachatavolieri) August 2, 2023
Southampton have turned down the first two offers from Jurgen Klopp’s side, with the initial bid being approximately £37 million and the second one around £41 million with add-ons.
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Despite the Saint’s relegation, Lavia was their standout performer last season. He also earned his senior debut for the Belgian national team in March.
After losing Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, Liverpool currently lacks a specialized defensive midfielder in their squad. Stefan Bajcetic, who can play that role, is yet to join team training due to a stress injury from March.
Klopp experimented with Curtis Jones in that position during the pre-season games, but it hasn’t been effective, as Jones is better suited as an attacking number eight.
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In the pre-season, Liverpool’s midfield has been easily bypassed by opposing teams, resulting in conceding 10 goals in four games.
With the actual season starting in about 10 days, it’s crucial for the Lavia deal to be finalized by the end of this week to bolster the midfield and provide a stronger defensive base.