Contact made: Liverpool lodge interest in ‘press-resistant’ teenage gem with £40m clause

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Liverpool have reportedly contacted a club who recently suffered relegation from the Premier League regarding one of their standout players.

According to Football Insider, the Reds have made contact with Southampton to register their interest in a move for Romeo Lavia as Jurgen Klopp seeks to bolster his midfield options this summer.

The 19-year-old is also desired by Chelsea and Arsenal, with the former believed to be ‘working on a deal behind the scenes’.

The Belgium international has a £40m buyback clause from Manchester City as part of the deal which saw him join the Saints last year, although this won’t become active for another 12 months.

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Liverpool fans got to see Lavia up close last week as he played against the Reds for Southampton in a frantic 4-4 draw to conclude a difficult season for both teams.

The Belgian won’t want to watch back the first of those eight goals, as his blind pass across his own penalty area fell kindly for Diogo Jota to bury the ball into the top corner.

However, that lapse of concentration shouldn’t automatically deter the Merseysiders from pursuing the teenager, who on the whole has been a reliable performer for a struggling Saints outfit.

He averaged 2.1 tackles per game in the Premier League this season, a figure bettered only by Thiago Alcantara at Liverpool (WhoScored), while Southampton reporter Jacob Tanswell hailed the youngster’s ‘press-resistant’ qualities following a win over Chelsea in February (@J_Tanswell on Twitter).

Lavia could well move on from St Mary’s, having proven in 29 appearances over the course of the campaign that he’s well capable of holding his own in the top flight, and his steely attributes could nicely firm up the Reds’ midfield.

Even if Chelsea appear to be in pole position for the 19-year-old (Football Insider), the Anfield hierarchy are right to remain in the hunt for one of the brightest young prospects currently playing in England.

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