Liverpool will not be at present more likely to enter the working for the switch of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, in line with Neil Jones in his exclusive CaughtOffside column.
The Belgium worldwide regarded an actual wonderkid along with his performances for the Saints final season, even when he couldn’t fairly do sufficient on his personal to assist the group keep up.
With Southampton now making ready for all times within the Championship, it is sensible that Lavia is now more likely to transfer again to the highest flight fairly quickly, with Jones admitting that Arsenal and different golf equipment all appear to be in there for the 19-year-old.
Nevertheless, with Liverpool it seems to be like this explicit signing would symbolize an excessive amount of of a chance proper now, provided that they want an overhaul in midfield, and possibly with extra confirmed gamers.
Whereas Jones admits that Lavia matches the type of profile of participant LFC often like, he believes the problems confronted by the membership within the final yr or so imply now might be not a great time to make such an funding.
“Romeo Lavia’s additionally an attention-grabbing one, as he’s most likely the type of participant Liverpool would’ve signed if issues had gone a bit of extra to plan within the final twelve months,” Jones explained.
“If Liverpool had been in a greater place and making an attempt to make small enhancements from a place of energy, then I may see Lavia being excessive up on their agenda, primarily based on his age, his potential and his fashion of play. I simply suspect now, with the way in which issues have gone flawed for Liverpool within the final yr or so, that they really feel they want somebody who’s a bit extra of a assure, somebody with a bit extra of a confirmed file of what they’ll do on the high stage.
“Lavia is a high expertise however I get the impression he’d presumably be seen as an excessive amount of of a chance for the time being. He’s a participant they admire they usually’re certainly not alone in that – Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester Metropolis, they’re all in there, however from a Liverpool perspective, each time I’ve spoken to folks across the membership about Lavia, the impression I’m getting is that it’s perhaps a bit too quickly for Liverpool to place all their eggs in that basket.
“Nonetheless, it seems to be prefer it could possibly be a busy summer season with midfielders, and we’re but to see precisely what occurs with Arsenal and Declan Rice, what Chelsea determine to do with somebody like Moises Caicedo, and I’d be amazed if Manchester United weren’t sooner or later with what they want in midfield, so there’s a threat in leaving it too lengthy and I wouldn’t be that shocked if, relying on how the playing cards fall, that this finally ends up being one Liverpool may circle again to.
“For now, although, I’d maintain extra of a watch on (Khephren) Thuram than Lavia. For those who have a look at the historical past of Liverpool’s signings lately there’s positively a sample by way of the age – someplace between 23 and 25, and the value, so I feel that’s the place Lavia, who solely turned 19 in January and who may cost a little upwards of £50m, doesn’t fairly match the profile.”
Fellow CaughtOffside columnist Fabrizio Romano has linked Lavia most strongly with Arsenal.
