Southampton are understood to be holding out for £50m for Romeo Lavia; one source has told Sky Sports News that Chelsea are also interested and keeping an eye on the 19-year-old's situation; Lavia has four years left on his Southampton contract after joining from Man City last summer
Monday 7 August 2023 19:00, UK
Southampton have rejected Liverpool's third bid for midfielder Romeo Lavia.
The latest offer is understood to be in the region of £45m.
Talks remain ongoing with Southampton, but the Championship club are thought to be standing firm on their £50m valuation of the 19-year-old.
One source has told Sky Sports News that Chelsea are also interested and keeping an eye on his situation.
Lavia has four years left on his Southampton contract.
The Belgium international joined Southampton from Manchester City last summer, but is expected to leave after the Saints were relegated from the Premier League last season.
Jurgen Klopp has already brought in two new midfielders this summer: Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton in a £35m deal and Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig for £60m.
Those new signings have replaced departing midfielders James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, while captain Jordan Henderson and Brazil international Fabinho also left Anfield this summer and secured moves to Saudi Arabia.
Sky Sports' Peter Smith:
"Landing Romeo Lavia would complete Liverpool's midfield overhaul, with the Belgian forming a new-look box with fellow summer signings Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, who looks certain to step out of defence.
"With Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and potentially Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara heading out of the club, it is a huge shake-up. But investment in midfield has been a long time coming at Liverpool and problems in that area of the pitch contributed significantly to their struggles last season.
"Expect anchor Lavia to play a prominent role in this coming campaign but at 19 years old he is undoubtedly set for a bright future. He led the way among under 21 players for tackles, interceptions and blocked shots in 2022/23 but also has the on-ball skills required to play at the top end of the Premier League.
"A captain through the youth levels and now a Belgium international, Lavia ticks all the boxes for Liverpool - someone who can have a transformative impact now but also go on to become a key component for the Reds in years to come. The new era has arrived."
Who will be on the move this summer when the transfer window opens on June 14 and closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?
Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
