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Chelsea are leading the race to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia despite competition from Arsenal and Manchester City, according to Football Insider.
Lavia joined the Saints from the Cityzens for an initial sum of £10 million last summer. He has since established himself as a key player for the Hampshire-based club, making 24 appearances across competitions.
The 19-year-old midfielder is contracted to Southampton until the end of the 2026-27 season. However, a summer transfer could be on the cards for him as his employers sit at the bottom of the Premier League table and risk suffering relegation.
Lavia will no doubt be short of options should he leave St. Mary's at the end of the season. His performances for Ruben Selles' side have seen him attract interest from several Premier League big guns.
According to the aforementioned source, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Manchester United are interested in signing the teenager. However, Chelsea are in pole position to acquire his services as things stand.
Manchester City notably have an option to re-sign Lavia for £40 million, but the buy-back clause does not become active until 2024. They are nevertheless entitled to 20% of the fee Southampton receive for his sale.
Why are Chelsea determined to beat likes of Arsenal to sign Romeo Lavia?
Chelsea have several central midfielders in their ranks, including Enzo Fernandez and Mateo Kovacic. However, they are still keen to bolster their options in the position this summer.
It is worth noting that N'Golo Kante's contract with the Blues expires at the end of the season. There are also claims that Mason Mount could be sold this summer as he is yet to agree to extend his deal beyond 2024.
The London giants are unlikely to make Denis Zakaria's loan move from Juventus permanently as well. They are said to be looking to sign another defensive-minded midfielder instead and Lavia fits the bill.
Graham Potter's side are thus determined to beat the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City to the Belgian's signature. The Gunners could themselves pull out of the race for him if they sign their top target Declan Rice.
Meanwhile, it was reported last week that Chelsea met Lavia's representatives in Belgium to discuss a potential transfer. They are reportedly keen to step up their efforts to snap him up from Southampton.
It now remains to be seen if the Stamford Bridge outfit will emerge victorious in their bid to sign Lavia this summer.
