Transfer expert: £50m Arsenal midfield target ‘not one to watch’ with Caicedo swoop also unlikely

Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia will not join Arsenal “imminently” and is “not one to watch at this point”, according to The Telegraph‘s Sam Dean.

Respected transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano recently said the Gunners are “advancing in talks” to bring the young Belgian to the Emirates.

Lavia should be available this summer following Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League.

Manchester City – who sold the 19-year-old to the Saints last summer – have a buyback option worth £45million, though that will not become active until 2024.

His debut season at St Mary’s was excellent despite the club’s relegation and Chelsea reportedly tried to sign him for £50m last August, despite the fact he was only bought from City a month prior.

With Southampton now preparing for life in the Championship, they are expected to lose three or four crucial players, with Lavia and club captain James Ward-Prowse the most likely to leave.

And it is not a surprise whatsoever to see Chelsea and Arsenal linked with the former, while both are also believed to be interested in Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, who should cost at least £70m.

However, Telegraph journalist Sam Dean has said he has not been informed of a level of interest from Arsenal that suggests they will make a bid in the coming days.

“Obviously there’s a lot of really good journalists doing a lot of really, really good work,” Dean told the Kanu Believe It Podcast. “And no part of me at all is, is trying to sort of say they’re wrong because it’s not my place to do so. All I can say in Lavia is that I personally have had no information to suggest he’s one that Arsenal are going to sign imminently.

“My information is that that’s currently not one to watch at this point.”

Dean also provided an update on Arsenal’s pursuit of Caicedo, saying it is hard to see them being able to afford this signing on top of Kai Havertz’s impending arrival, plus the potential additions of West Ham captain Declan Rice and Ajax defender Jurrien Timber.

“I’m struggling to see a way in which Arsenal can finance that while also signing Havertz and potentially signing Timber,” Dean added. “We’re talking nearly £300million now in one summer.

“Unless for whatever reason, it becomes a much cheaper option, which I don’t think he will, because we’re dealing with Brighton here, no one gets cheap deal at Brighton.

“I can’t see that one happening as well.”

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