Arsenal have moved ahead in the Romeo Lavia race following the midfielder’s verbal agreement to sign for Mikel Arteta, as per Football Insider.
It comes as the latest groundbreaking development in a transfer saga that has transpired even before Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League, with the Gunners said to have been tussling with Chelsea for his signature as early as March.
As a result, Southampton would have no doubt faced difficulty keeping hold of Lavia even if they had stayed up, though with a season in the Championship looming, they appear destined to lose the former-Manchester City academy prospect in the near future.
What is the latest regarding Romeo Lavia’s agreement to join Arsenal?
The report states that Arsenal are now leading the hunt for Lavia amid interest from Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and others upon recent developments with his representatives, and key ultimatums emerging elsewhere.
Indeed, Chelsea- who have been long-term admirers- have now put their pursuit on pause with other deals reportedly in the pipeline, while Liverpool and United have shifted towards alternative potential targets, too
Man City’s interest has also slowed down as they remain indecisive about the swoop, despite having a buy-back clause option for Lavia.
It looks as though Arsenal will launch an official approach for Lavia next month, with the acquisition of prospective club-record signing Declan Rice taking priority at the minute.
How much is Southampton’s Romeo Lavia worth?
The report informs that a fee in the region of £50M would be enough to sign Southampton’s prized asset.
While the player clearly desires a departure, Southampton will be in no rush to sign him given that his contract runs until the summer of 2027, and they are in line to make a monumental profit upon the reported £10M they paid City last year.
Would Romeo Lavia be a good signing for Arsenal?
Judging from his performances last term in a side that sorely struggled, Lavia is more than capable of making the significant step-up to a club like Arsenal.
He caught the eye with his tenacity and ball-winning abilities, while showing enough technical promise to ensure a successful transition to Arteta’s possession-based style, too.
Lavia also fits the club’s strategy of either recruiting or integrating young talent into the squad, with the likes of William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli all forming the core of the side.
And, following the recent development of Juventus-bound Thomas Partey’s future, there appears scope for Lavia, if he signs, to go straight into the starting eleven given that he fills a similar role in the team.
