"One to keep an eye out for many years" – Theo Walcott lavishes praise on Chelsea summer signing who is yet to make his debut 

Former Arsenal and Southampton star Theo Walcott has lauded Chelsea new boy Romeo Lavia, claiming that he is a talent for the future.

Lavia, 19, was a subject of transfer speculation earlier this summer, with the Blues facing tough competition from the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal. He finally joined the Stamford Bridge outfit in a potential deal worth up to £58 million, snubbing the Reds along the way.

Speaking to The Overlap, Walcott claimed that the Belgian teenager has immense potential and could develop into a world-beater. He said:

"He is sharp, good on the ball, very good player, one to keep an eye out for many years, I would say."

Lavia, whose current Blues contract is set to expire in June 2030, shot to fame due to his standout performances for Southampton last season. After joining the Saints from Manchester City for an initial fee of £10.5 million in 2022, he scored one goal in 34 appearances.

Prior to making his professional debut at the St. Mary's Stadium, Lavia had a taste of football in the United Kingdom during his stint at Manchester City. He helped the Cityzens lift the 2020-21 Premier League 2 title, bagging the Player of the Season award in the process.

Lavia, who is natural at operating in defensive midfield, contributed two goals and four assists in 59 age-group games for Manchester City. He also made two senior appearances across competitions for the club.

A right-footed tenacious operator at the heart of midfield, the promising teenager is expected to face tough competition for places at Chelsea. He is currently below the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Conor Gallagher in the west London side's pecking order.

So far this season, Lavia is yet to make his first-team debut for Chelsea owing to fitness issues. He could be in line for his first appearance in his team's upcoming tie against Bournemouth on Sunday (September 17).

Piers Morgan destroys Chelsea after defeat

Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), British broadcaster Piers Morgan poked fun at Chelsea's transfer spending after the Blues' 1-0 Premier League defeat against Nottingham Forest on Saturday (September 2). He wrote:

"Don't panic, Chelsea fans. You just need to spend another £1 billion on another 30 players who run around like headless chickens and have no idea what they're supposed to be doing."

Since the Toddy Boehly-led Clearlake Capital's takeover in May 2022, the Blues have been the talk of the town due to their exorbitant business. They have spent over £1 billion in transfer fees to add 31 players on respective permanent deals in the past three transfer windows.

Mauricio Pochettino's outfit, who finished 12th last season in the Premier League, are currently 11th with four points from four league games.