Former Chelsea and England defender Glen Johnson has stated that if Romeo Lavia does not adjust fast at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea may decide to loan him back to Southampton this season.
The 19-year-old Belgian midfielder just recently joined the Blues from Saints for an initial $53 million, with add-ons raising the price to $58 million. Lavia was left off the Blues’ roster for their 3-1 loss to West Ham on Sunday, where fellow new midfielder Moises Caicedo, who was acquired from Brighton for $115 million, conceded a late penalty.
The adolescent showed tremendous talent last season for a Southampton squad that was relegated from the Premier League due to their bad play. Lavia’s achievements attracted the interest of several elite clubs, and Liverpool had three bids for him rejected this summer before he transferred to Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have two more games left to play before the transfer window ends on September 1. First, they face AFC Wimbledon in the second round of the Carabao Cup on August 30 before hosting newly promoted Luton Town this weekend at the Bridge.
Johnson, who made 72 appearances for Chelsea in the middle of the 2000s, claims that if Lavia is unable to swiftly adjust to the Blues, the team may elect to loan him out, especially given that he is bound by a seven-year deal.
Johnson, speaking through Betfred, said, “It all depends on how he starts. Although he is a superb player, he is still a young child. A 19-year-old cannot be purchased with the expectation that they will join your first squad right away.
“You’ll have to wait and see how he plays against Chelsea’s other elite players. I can’t imagine Chelsea expecting him to enter and immediately improve them because he’s entered a large dressing room with many top, top players.
“If Romeo is older than his years, there’s a chance he’ll fit in quite fast. Since he’s still so young and will be at the cub for a while, they could always loan him out if things don’t go well at first. They might even permit him to return to Southampton so he can perform there.
On the other side, he will play more minutes if he starts strong and doesn’t seem out of place. Being so young and entering such a large dressing room makes it difficult to predict what will happen.
