If Liverpool wants to sign Romeo Lavia before the start of the season and give the Belgian player his debut right away, they must act quickly.
The Reds have had three offers for the 19-year-old rejected by Southampton thus far. The Reds begin their season on Sunday, August 13, away at Chelsea. The Saints continue to demand their asking price of £50 million, and the latest offer, totaling a package worth £46 million, was turned down on Monday.
In the long-awaited overhaul of the engine room, Jurgen Klopp already welcomed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to his midfield ranks this summer. However, he is still lacking a senior holding midfielder due to the unexpected departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia. Lavia has already been chosen as a long-term successor for their now-departing Brazilian, so their search for her has become more urgent.
Lavia did not play in Southampton’s Championship opener on Friday night against Sheffield Wednesday and was not included in the matchday squad for the Saints’ shocking League Cup loss at Gillingham.
Consequently, with negotiations between Liverpool and Southampton ongoing, a St. Mary’s exit remains likely. After all, Saints boss Russell Martin has refused to rule out a departure for the player, though he did admit he doesn’t expect any move to happen before the weekend.
“There needs to be movement that suits us as a club,” Martin told BBC Radio Solent on Tuesday night. “I don’t envisage anything changing between now and the weekend, but it’s football, right, so anything can happen.”
The Reds would be in a race against time to register Lavia so he can play against Chelsea if something were to happen before the start of the Premier League season. Despite the fact that Liverpool’s Premier League debut is on Sunday, league regulations demand that a deal be finalised by Friday at noon in order for Jurgen Klopp to choose the midfielder.
The Premier League’s rulebook states in Section U.23: “Subject to the provisions of Rule V.1, the deadline for receipt by the board of all duly completed documents required by these rules to effect the registration of a player shall be 12 noon on the last working day prior to the date of the first league match in which the club making the application intends him to play, except that the international transfer certificate and evidence of eligibility to take up employment in the league.”
Of course, as things currently, Liverpool is preparing for its Premier League debut without Lavia’s assistance. The Belgian very much remains a Southampton player after three bids were already turned down, and there is currently no indication that negotiations have made any progress.