An update has emerged on Liverpool and their attempts to bolster their midfield options ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign…
What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Reds are poised to enter negotiations with Southampton over a deal to sign central midfielder Romeo Lavia.
He has also stated that the club have already been in talks with the player's representatives as the Belgian is one of their top targets heading into the remainder of the summer transfer window.
The reporter Tweeted: "Liverpool have been in contact with the agents of Roméo Lavia for 2 weeks — still ongoing. He’s high on the list, considered as ‘top talent’ in his position. Sources expect LFC to open talks with Southampton soon — as there will be competition from Arsenal and Chelsea."
James Pearce, of The Athletic, has suggested that the club will only pursue the £50m-rated ace as a third addition in midfield and the Daily Mail have claimed that they are willing to part ways with Thiago Alcantara, which would then open the door for the Saints starlet to come in.
Where would Romeo Lavia fit in at Liverpool?
The Belgian enforcer was predominantly deployed as a defensive midfielder at St. Mary's last season, meaning that he could line up at the base of Jurgen Klopp's midfield, with two players sitting ahead of him.
Having a ball-winning battler in the number six position could make new signing Alexis Mac Allister, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this summer, unplayable next term.
As you can see in the Opta chart above, the Argentina international is one of the outstanding players in his position when it comes to taking shots and scoring goals.
The 24-year-old showcased his quality in the final third as he scored ten goals in 31 Premier League starts for the Seagulls last season. To highlight how good that tally was, no Liverpool midfielder managed more than Curtis Jones' record of three league strikes, which suggests that Mac Allister has the potential to be Klopp's main attacking outlet in that area of the pitch.
Lavia's presence in the middle of the park could provide the World Cup winner with the freedom he needs to do his damage to the opposition, as the 19-year-old has proven himself to be an impressive ball-winner at Premier League level.
The graphic below, as provided by Opta, shows that the Southampton talent excels at winning possession back for his team, which is the perfect trait for a defensive midfielder to have as he is capable of consistently breaking up attacks.
Lavia, who was hailed as an "absolute monster" by writer Benjy Nurick, has also averaged more tackles, interceptions, and blocks combined per 90 (5.67) over the last 365 days in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions in comparison to Liverpool's current number six – Fabinho (4.63).
These statistics suggest that the former Manchester City man has the quality to be an upgrade on the Brazil international when it comes to breaking up play and stopping the opposition.
Having a player with the quality to be a phenomenal screen in front of the defence would then allow the other midfield players, notably Mac Allister, to push forward without having to worry too much about their defensive responsibilities.
Such a player, therefore, could make them unplayable as they constantly burst forward to make an impact in the final third.
