Romeo Lavia worth £46 million, as they stand firm on the £50 million asking price.
According to Melissa Reddy of Sky Sports, Liverpool lodged an improved bid worth £46 million for Romeo Lavia. Southampton have wasted no time rejecting the proposal as they stand firm on their £50 million valuations.
These are testing times for Liverpool in their efforts to sign Romeo Lavia. Many have massively underestimated Southampton and their resolve over the midfielder, as everyone thought they might consider bids over £40 million.
There has been massive interest in the 19-year-old midfielder, but Liverpool have now lodged at least three offers for the Belgian. Southampton seems intent on achieving their goal of £50 million as they reject Liverpool’s latest bid worth £46 million.
It’s the closest the Merseysiders have come to convincing Southampton and testing their resolve. The general feeling was that Liverpool would not match their asking price, but the new bid tells a different story. At this point, such offers could send the wrong message to the Saints, which could affect this deal.
All the focus will stick with Liverpool on their next steps, as there were expectations this latest offer should have done the trick. They could also walk away from this deal, further complicating their need for a new midfielder.
As things stand, Liverpool are not alone in the race for the 19-year-old, as Chelsea are already planning a hijack for the Lavia deal. Like the Merseysiders, the Blues are in dire need of quality midfield reinforcements, and the Belgian suits their cause.
Chelsea have so far faced disappointment in the chase for Moises Caicedo, and with further rejections, they could seriously consider Lavia. Hence, the onus is on Liverpool to get a deal done swiftly. Southampton’s decision to turn down £46 million shows they intend to achieve their goal of £50 million.
They are open to keeping Lavia beyond for the summer, as the midfielder could massively help them push for a Premier League return. In any case, Man City have a buy-back clause worth £40 million, so they can still achieve the money Liverpool are offering next summer.
Hence, it all depends on Liverpool and their intent in this chase. The final message is that Southampton will only agree on a £50 million bid or above, something the Reds must make in the coming days to sign the 19-year-old midfielder.