Rishika Aradhya, Pune
Chelsea has signed Belgian midfielder Romeo Lavia from Championship club Southampton. The Blues signed the 19-year-old to a seven-year contract.
Lavia had also been linked with a move to Liverpool in the past. Chelsea, on the other hand, was able to get his services for a rumored fee of GBP 55 million (USD 69.96 million). This purchase greatly expands Chelsea’s midfield options and underlines the club’s continuous investment in developing potential.
Romeo Lavia, surprisingly, is not a new face in English football. The young Belgian signed for Manchester City in 2020 at the age of 16. His time at the Etihad was, however, brief, with only two appearances for the senior team. In July 2022, he transferred to Southampton for a fee of GBP 10.5 million in search of increased playing opportunities.
Lavia said after completing his move to Stamford Bridge that he can’t wait to meet all of his teammates and develop fantastic connections with them.
Lavia told the press that he is thrilled to be joining Chelsea and being a part of this great initiative. It’s an incredible football club with a fantastic history, and he’s quite thrilled to get started. He can’t wait to meet all of my new teammates and form a bond with them in order to accomplish great things together.
The central defender quickly established himself with Southampton, playing 34 games across all competitions. He even got his name on the score sheet with his first goal. Regardless, his efforts were unable to prevent Southampton from suffering the agony of Premier League relegation.
Lavia’s departure is a huge setback for the Saints, who had intended to use his talents to help them gain promotion in the 2017 Championship season. Chelsea, on the other hand, sees the arrival of the young Belgian prodigy as an enticing potential.