Chelsea has finalized the signing of 19-year-old Belgian midfielder Romeo Lavia from Southampton for an initial fee of £53 million, potentially rising by another £5 million through additional clauses. Lavia, who made 29 appearances for Southampton in the Premier League during the 2022-23 season, couldn’t help the Saints avoid relegation.
The young talent has agreed to a seven-year contract with Chelsea and is eager to begin his journey with the club. After making 34 appearances in all competitions last season, Lavia expressed his excitement about joining Chelsea and his readiness to achieve great things with his new team.
His career began with Anderlecht’s youth system before a move to Manchester City in 2020. However, Lavia only played twice for City’s senior squad and was transferred to Southampton in July 2022 for £10.5 million. Manchester City will receive £10.6 million, 20% of the initial fee, due to a sell-on clause.
Liverpool had expressed interest in Lavia but had their third bid of around £46 million, including add-ons, rejected by Southampton. Chelsea’s win over Liverpool in acquiring Lavia follows their successful signing of Moises Caicedo from Brighton for £100 million, potentially rising to £115 million.
Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp shared his views on missing out on targets, emphasizing his satisfaction with their solutions, while Chelsea’s manager Mauricio Pochettino praised Lavia as a fitting player for the club’s project.
Lavia also thanked the Southampton fans in an Instagram post, expressing his gratitude and love for the club and his former teammates. Southampton also honored Lavia’s contributions, wishing him a flourishing career.
Lavia’s transfer is the ninth of Chelsea’s summer signings, marking a continuation of the club’s ambitious overhaul. Following significant departures from the squad, the Blues are seeking to improve upon their 12th-place finish last season.
Since the takeover by American investor Todd Boehly and the Clearlake consortium in May 2022, Chelsea’s total expenditure on new players has exceeded £900 million. The club began their Premier League campaign with a 1-1 draw against Liverpool, and they are looking to make a strong statement this season.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about fokus keyword: Romeo Lavia
Who is Romeo Lavia?
Romeo Lavia is a 19-year-old Belgian midfielder who has been signed by Chelsea from Southampton. He began his professional career in Anderlecht’s youth system before moving to Manchester City and later joining Southampton in 2022.
What are the details of Romeo Lavia’s transfer to Chelsea?
Chelsea signed Romeo Lavia for an initial fee of £53 million, which could rise by a further £5 million with add-ons. Lavia agreed to a seven-year contract with Chelsea.
Why did Manchester City receive part of the transfer fee for Lavia?
Manchester City will collect 20% (£10.6m) of the initial £53 million fee received by Southampton because of a sell-on clause. Lavia had moved to Manchester City in 2020 but made only two senior appearances.
What was Liverpool’s involvement in the transfer?
Liverpool was also interested in signing Lavia and had made three bids, the last one believed to have been about £46 million including add-ons, but all were rejected by Southampton.
How many new players have Chelsea signed since the new ownership took over?
Since American investor Todd Boehly and the Clearlake consortium took over Chelsea in May 2022, the club has signed 23 players, with the owners’ total outlay on new players exceeding £900 million.
What is Romeo Lavia’s connection to Southampton, and what did he say upon leaving?
Romeo Lavia joined Southampton in July 2022 and made 29 appearances in the Premier League. Upon leaving, he thanked the fans and club on Instagram and spoke about his gratitude and love for the club. He also expressed his wish to see the club return to the Premier League soon.
More about fokus keyword: Romeo Lavia
- Chelsea Official Website
- Southampton Official Website
- Premier League
- Manchester City Official Website
- Belgium National Team
5 comments
welcome to Chelsea Romeo! I’ve been watching him at Southampton, kid’s got potential. Pochettino’s building something special, this season’s gonna be huge.
Really gutted to see Lavia leave Southampton. Such a talnted young player, wish him all the best tho. We’ll bounce back to the Premier league.
So we missed out on Lavia too huh, Klopp better have a plan B, or C, or D at this point. Starting to worry a bit about our midfield options.
can’t believe Chelsea’s splashing so much cash. Lavias a great player but 53 mil?? Lets hope he’s worth it, Blues need a solid season.
Man City just making money off players they barely used. smart business i guess, but I wish we had given him a real shot, who knows what he couldve been for us?