Romano says Liverpool can sign £40m ‘priority with ‘creative formula’ amid report of price drop

Will Ford
Reported Liverpool and Arsenal target Romeo Lavia during a match.
Southampton's Romeo Lavia is attracting interest from Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd.

Liverpool reportedly believe they can “find a way” to land Romeo Lavia from Southampton using “a creative formula”, according to Fabrizio Romano.

A report earlier this week claimed Liverpool were ‘no longer targeting’ Lavia as Jurgen Klopp had ‘no gap to fill’ in midfield following the signings of Alexis Mac-Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

But journalist Neil Jones was quick to dismiss that claim, insisting Lavia had become Liverpool’s ‘priority’ after they cooled interest in Nice star Khephren Thuram.

Jones told CaughtOffside: “My understanding is that Khephren Thuram had been a priority, but that’s changed now, with the Szoboszlai signing having a big impact – while they’re different players, my understanding is that Thuram would’ve been brought in to play a similar kind of position to the Hungarian, so that’s why Romeo Lavia is now the priority.”

And transfer expert Romano claims Liverpool are confident they can ‘find an agreement’ for the 19-year-old.

“For Romeo Lavia, the price tag is around £50million,” Romano told Give Me Sport. “But sources believe that maybe, with some add-ons or with a creative formula such as including some players, they [Liverpool] can find a way with Southampton to reach an agreement.”

Southampton rejected a £50m deadline day bid for Lavia last summer having signed the teenager from Manchester City for £11m earlier in the window.

It’s been claimed that the Saints wanted the same fee for Lavia having been relegated to the Championship, but The Sun are now reporting that they have dropped his price to £40m in a bid to encourage potential suitors.

Chelsea are still keeping tabs but are prioritising Moises Caicedo from Brighton, while Arsenal and Newcastle have also been linked.

Fellow Southampton star Tino Livramento is also a transfer target of both Newcastle, who have reportedly seen a bid of £21m rejected, and Chelsea, who inserted a £38m buyback clause in the academy graduate’s contract when he left for St James’ Park for £5m in 2021.

New Southampton manager Russell Martin recently said he wouldn’t stand in the way of players wanting to leave to play Premier League football.

Martin said: “I’ve been really honest in the individual chats we’ve had, even the ones who think they’ll end up back playing in the Premier League and want to, and there’s interest for them, as long as they give it all they’ve got while they’re here, they owe that to the club after last season in particular.”

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