Chelsea still have a chance of signing Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia in the summer transfer window, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.
Has Lavia shone for Southampton this season?
The 19-year-old may have been a regular for a Saints team who ultimately finished bottom of the Premier League in 2022/23, but the £25,000-a-week youngster has still been one of his side's star players, if not their best.
Lavia has performed well beyond his years, sitting in front of the defence and doing his best to protect it, averaging 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game across 29 league appearances. With Southampton now relegated to the Championship, it seems unlikely that former Manchester City player will remain at St Mary's beyond this summer.
There has been endless interest in the teenager in recent times, with Chelsea one of the clubs linked with snapping him up, along with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United. There could be an auction for his signature in the coming weeks, and now another key update has emerged regarding his future.
Do Chelsea have a chance of signing Lavia?
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Crook admitted that there are doubts over the signing of Lavia from some quarters at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea are still in the race to snap him up before the start of next season:
"Lavia is being pushed by Joe Shields, who was the head of recruitment at Southampton and instrumental in getting him from Manchester City. Some of the Chelsea hierarchy are not as convinced, but it remains a possibility."
Lavia has so much potential as a player that Chelsea must do all they can to sign him, perhaps bringing him in as a squad player to begin with, especially if the Blues also manage to bring in Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
At 19, he is already shining in the Premier League, showing so much maturity in a team has been up against it in so many games, showing real strength of character in the process. He is already a one-cap Belgium international, possibly representing the future of his country's midfield, and the fact that Pep Guardiola has described him as "incredible" says a lot about what a gifted young footballer he is.
If Chelsea could sign Lavia, it would be a major coup, especially as they can't promise European football next season, unlike a number of the Blues' rivals for his signature.
Interestingly, Chelsea were linked with a £50 million move for the midfielder, who was hailed as an "absolute monster" by journalist Benjy Nurick, back in January.
