Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia has reportedly completed his medical with Chelsea ahead of a £58m switch to Stamford Bridge.
The 19-year-old has been on the radar of several top European clubs over the past few months, having been a shining light during a troubled 2022-23 campaign for the Saints.
Lavia only joined Russell Martin’s team from Manchester City last year, but following Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League, an exit from St Mary’s has been seen as inevitable.
Arsenal were originally considered strong contenders for his signature before bringing in Kai Havertz and Declan Rice, allowing Chelsea and Liverpool to engage in a tense two-horse race.
Southampton, who have Lavia under contract until 2027, have always insisted that the midfielder will not be allowed to leave for anything less than £50m, and Liverpool initially failed with several offers below the Saints’ asking price.
However, the Reds did eventually agree a fee for the Belgium international, only to be told that he preferred a move to Chelsea, who subsequently succeeded with a £58m offer.
According to the Daily Mail, Lavia has now passed his medical tests with Chelsea, having only come back to England on Wednesday following some brief time off in his native Belgium.
The Blues are now hopeful of finalising Lavia’s move later on today, as the 2004-born lynchpin prepares to sign a long-term deal in West London, the length of which is yet to be specified.
Should Lavia’s signing be registered by midday on Friday, the former Man City youth product will be eligible to make his derby in Sunday’s London derby with West Ham United in the Premier League.
Lavia will depart St Mary’s having contributed one goal and one assist from 34 games in his only full season for Southampton, who have been without the teenager for their first three games of the 2023-24 season.
Lavia will become Chelsea’s ninth summer signing of a hectic transfer window, following Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Moises Caicedo, Angelo Gabriel, Lesley Ugochukwu, Diego Moreira and Robert Sanchez to Stamford Bridge.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side pipped Liverpool to the signing of Lavia after also stealing Caicedo from under the Reds’ noses, beating their Merseyside counterparts’ £110m bid with a British-record £115m deal.
As was the case with Lavia, Liverpool were the first team to agree a fee with Brighton & Hove Albion for Caicedo, but the Ecuadorian had his heart set on playing for the Blues.
Chelsea are expected to remain active in the market once Lavia’s signing is finalised, having apparently turned their attention to Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson after Michael Olise unexpectedly signed a new contract with Crystal Palace.
A new goalkeeper is also on the agenda after Kepa Arrizabalaga was loaned out to Real Madrid, with Nice’s Kasper Schmeichel and New England Revolution shot-stopper Djordje Petrovic both linked with the Blues.
