Liverpool disaster awaits with Chelsea ‘closest anyone has come’ to signing top midfield target after new bid

Chelsea have submitted a new bid for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia that surpasses anything Liverpool have put on the table, David Ornstein has revealed.

Lavia has become a top target for Liverpool this summer as they search for a replacement for Fabinho. However, they have so far failed to meet the £50m asking price set by Southampton. The best they have managed to put on the table so far has been around £46m.

Liverpool have remained confident of capturing the former Manchester City talent. That said, they have been dealing with interference from Chelsea, who already tried to sign Lavia last year.

And according to Ornstein, Chelsea made the highest bid of the summer so far for Lavia on Wednesday night. The £48m package they proposed, including add-ons, is the “closest anyone has come” to Southampton’s valuation, per The Athletic writer.

The response from the relegated outfit has not yet arrived, with dialogue between the parties continuing.

Chelsea, like Liverpool, have seen many of their midfielders leave this summer. For Liverpool, the exit list has included Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fabio Carvalho; for Chelsea, it features N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Neither of the Premier League clubs kept the player they had on loan from Juventus, either – Arthur Melo in Liverpool’s case and Denis Zakaria in Chelsea’s.

As a holding midfielder, Lavia could fill the void left by either Fabinho at Liverpool or Kante at Chelsea.

Liverpool transfer could crumble if Chelsea succeed for Lavia

But with Liverpool expressing concern at how high the asking price Southampton have set is for a 19-year-old with just 34 senior appearances to his name, the chances of an Anfield move have been thrown into doubt.

Liverpool have also recently been warned that they could miss out on the signing of another of their defensive midfield targets, Andre from Fluminense.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have been pursuing Moises Caicedo from Brighton as another player who could strengthen their engine room. Once again, though, the selling club have put a high valuation on the player after extending his contract earlier this year.

Coincidentally, there have been whispers that Liverpool could be in for Caicedo too, but the price tag may be problematic again.

And it would only add to the concern brewing that Jurgen Klopp might be having doubts about his future as Liverpool manager.