According to reports from Spain, Liverpool have been given two significant boosts in their pursuit of one midfield transfer target this summer.
Sport reported (via Paisley Gates) that, while Barcelona tabled an offer to Southampton for Romeo Lavia, it was only on loan and was duly rejected by the Saints, who are demanding a straight cash deal which’d be out of reach for the LaLiga champions, thus ruling them out of contention.
The same report stated that the Championship outfit want €40m (£34.3m) for the 19-year-old, which is substantially less than the £50m which had been quoted by other outlets such as talkSPORT.
READ MORE: (Image) Liverpool youngster provides injury update after knee surgery
READ MORE: Liverpool confirm exit of 19-year-old; he’ll join up with son of Anfield great – report
It wasn’t specified whether that lower valuation is a revised price – various sources have been quoting different fees for Lavia – but if it is, that’ll come as music to the ears of Liverpool’s recruitment team, and indeed Jurgen Klopp.
As Fabrizio Romano explained to Born and Red, the manager has ‘approved’ a move for the Southampton starlet, who’s believed to have convinced scouts and coaches at Anfield of his ability.
The Belgian teenager would seem a far more appealing transfer prospect if the Saints now want less than £35m for him, having previously been believed to staunchly demanding £50m, but the lesser fee is still a lofty one for a player who only has one season of senior football to his name.
It doesn’t seem that Liverpool are putting all their eggs in the Lavia basket either, with a host of other options like Cheick Doucoure, Joao Palhinha and Ryan Gravenberch reportedly being considered.
We’d still be inclined to wait for one of the more trusted sources of LFC transfer news to verify if Southampton have lowered their price for the 19-year-old, but Sport’s report does appear to offer encouragement on that front.
You can see a screengrab of the article from Sport below, courtesy of Paisley Gates:
#Ep80 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Fabinho & Jordan Henderson… going, going, gone?🎙️