Southampton: Clear frontrunners emerge in Romeo Lavia chase

Arsenal are leading the race to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton this summer, according to journalist Nicolo Schira.

The Saints suffered what was their third consecutive defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday, 15th April. A brace from Eberechi Eze saw the Eagles claim all three points at St. Mary’s.

Southampton thus remain at the bottom of the Premier League table, four points adrift of the safe zone. With only seven games left to play, they are quickly running out of time to turn things around and ensure safety.

Nevertheless, the Hampshire-based club face the risk of losing star player Lavia this summer. With the Saints tipped for relegation, several clubs are keeping tabs on the midfielder’s situation.

There have been claims that Lavia is the subject of ‘intense’ interest from Chelsea. The Blues reportedly met the player’s entourage in Belgium last month.

However, Arsenal are in the driving seat to acquire Lavia’s services ahead of the 2023-24 season, according to the aforementioned source. The Gunners have seemingly edged past Chelsea in the race to sign the 19-year-old.

The said report also hinted that there are other clubs in the mix for Lavia. It thus remains to be seen where the Belgium international’s future lies.

Southampton signed Romeo Lavia from Manchester City last summer

Southampton signed Romeo Lavia from Manchester City for an initial sum of £10m last summer. The midfielder has since made 27 appearances across all competitions for the Saints, contributing towards two goals in the process.

The Cityzens reportedly included a buyback clause in their agreement with the St. Mary’s outfit last summer. As per Schira, they can re-sign him for €45m (£40m), but the clause will only become active in 2024.

Southampton, though, could be forced to cash in on Lavia, who is contracted to them until 2027, this summer, especially if they go down.