Chelsea agree to sign Southampton’s Lavia for £53m

Romeo Lavia made 29 appearances for Southampton in the Premier League in 2022-23Chelsea have agreed a fee of £53m plus £5m in add-ons for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.The 19-year-old, who has one senior cap for Belgium, is yet to have a medical before the move to Stamford Bridge.Lavia made 34 appearances in all competitions last season but could not stop Saints being relegated from the Premier League.Liverpool also bid for Lavia and he is set to be the second target they missed out on to Chelsea after Moises Caicedo.Chelsea completed the signing of Ecuador midfielder Caicedo, 21, on Monday for a £100m fee that could rise to a British club record of £115m.Liverpool had a third bid for Lavia – believed to have been about £46m including add-ons – rejected by Southampton last week.Lavia came through the youth system at Anderlecht before he moved to Manchester City in 2020 having been spotted at a tournament in Belgium attended by Pep Guardiola.The youngster made just two senior appearances at City – in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup – as he struggled to break into the club’s first team and joined Saints in July 2022 for £10.5m.City are believed to have a buy-back option on Lavia that does not come into effect until next summer.The Premier League champions will be in line to collect 20% of the fee received by Southampton because of a sell-on clause.

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