Manchester United is reportedly one of many Premier League teams interested in signing Romeo Lavia from Southampton. The young midfielder has spent just one season at St. Mary’s and looks poised for a summer transfer.
What’s new with Lavia moving to Manchester United?
The Red Devils look to be considering a move for the one-cap Belgian international once more, according to journalist Miguel Delaney. Earlier in the transfer season, the Old Trafford club had been linked with a move for the former Manchester City academy player.
The transfer insider said in his article for The Independent that United are “considering trying to surpass” rivals Liverpool in their pursuit of the 19-year-old player. This is because the Merseysiders just recently had a £41 million offer rejected by the Saints.
The Championship club has reportedly slapped a £50m asking price on the head of their prize asset, who is also drawing admiring glances from both Arsenal and Chelsea. According to the report, Erik ten Hag will need to move players from his current squad before making a move for the youngster.
What type of player is Romeo Lavia?
As Delaney also reported, the Southampton gem is not the only midfield asset that United is currently showing an interest in, with Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat also a player firmly on Ten Hag’s radar, having worked under the Dutchman in the past at FC Utrecht.
As far as the Red Devils are concerned, it would seem that they only have two options: either they take the more seasoned alternative in Amrabat, or they choose the possibly more exciting, high-potential talent in Lavia.
The latter player has the advantage of having played in the top division of English football before, having made 29 league appearances for the south coast club last season. He also has received praise for his performances thus far, with journalist Dean Jones suggesting that the Belgian native is “on the verge of greatness.”
![The Next Defensive Maestro? Man Utd's 'Unbelievable' £17m Target Aims Higher than Amrabat 2 Romeo Lavia](https://i0.wp.com/static0.footballfancastimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/lavia-saints-man-united-amrabat-premier-league-transfer.jpg?resize=1140%2C570&ssl=1)
Lavia, a player who typically plays in the defensive-midfield position, has a CIES Football Observatory value of €20 million (£17 million), making him a more likely candidate to succeed Casemiro in that deep-lying position. The club is reportedly in desperate need of a player who can compete with and cover for the Brazilian.
The ball-winning prowess of Casemiro, who averaged 4.4 tackles and interceptions per game last season, was evident, but youthful Lavia was not far behind with 3.2, which was a much better performance than Amrabat’s in Serie A (two tackles and interceptions per game).
The teen rock also ranks in the top 4% among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for blocks made, while Amrabat, by comparison, rates in just the bottom 30% in that category, demonstrating his ability to sense danger.
Lavia has caught the attention of many because he has the ability to drive forward from deep with the ball at his feet. He ranks in the top 25% for successful take-ons, which is again a far greater return than his midfield counterpart, who only ranks in the bottom 34% for that same metric. Lavia is also a player who may represent a more suitable long-term fit than the 26-year-old Fiorentina player.
The 5 foot 11 potential has been predicted to be a “top player” by international teammate Kevin De Bruyne and dubbed “unbelievable” by ex-Saints player Nathan Redmond. Ten Hag will have the opportunity to develop an exciting young talent next season.
Amrabat will turn 27 later this month, so the United manager could have to start thinking about replacing the Dutch ace soon. In contrast, Lavia might continue to be the engine of Ten Hag’s team for many years to come.