Fee and contract details emerge as Chelsea strike deal for Southampton star
Mauricio Pochettino’s side are closing in on Romeo Lavia and further details regarding the deal have emerged.
Chelsea have struck a £55m deal to recruit Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, according to Sacha Tavolieri.
£52m of this is set to be guaranteed according to the same journalist – a sizeable fee for the Belgian who only has a limited amount of Premier League experience.
But with the player still having four years left on his contract at St Mary’s, the Saints are in a very strong position at the negotiating table and may have been given the license to remain firm in their stance after raising a decent amount of revenue from Tino Livramento’s sale to Newcastle United.
James Ward-Prowse is also set to seal a move to West Ham United, with Russell Martin’s side set to generate a huge amount of money from these three big sales.
All three players had/have all been tied down to long-term contracts at St Mary’s, giving the Saints the ability to hold out for big fees for the trio.
And the fact Lavia is only 19 has only gone on to increase his price tag, probably only making him affordable to those at the top end of the top European leagues.
How long do Chelsea want Romeo Lavia’s contract to be?
The Blues want to tie Lavia to a long-term deal between five and seven years, whilst also having the option to extend his contract for a further 12 months at the end of his initial deal at Stamford Bridge.
With the player still a teenager at this stage, they will be desperate to see him tied down to a long-term deal considering the fact he’s only likely to improve.
That should raise his valuation further and help the Blues to generate as much for him as possible when they decide to cash in on him.
What’s the latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of Romeo Lavia?
Although a deal has been agreed between the two clubs, it hasn’t been fully finalised at this point with ‘extra information’ set to be exchanged today, but it seems as though the Blues are set to come out on top in this race.
Pochettino’s side are still fearful that Liverpool could potentially hijack this move though and it’s believed they have asked the team responsible for carrying out the midfielder’s medical to be fully prepared for these tests.
They hope that will help to fend off any last-minute approach from the Reds who previously looked to be in pole position to sign the player not so long ago.
Are Chelsea taking the right stance on Romeo Lavia?
£55m is a big deal, especially with £52m of that coming up front and only £3m potentially set to come in add-ons.
However, he did more than enough last season to suggest that he can thrive at the top level and at 19, he’s an extremely promising player.
He’s probably a much cheaper addition than Brighton’s Moises Caicedo as well which is a bonus, although it’s unclear whether they will get a deal for the Seagulls’ star over the line too.
It would also be bold of them to offer a seven-year deal, especially if he’s going to be on big money at Stamford Bridge.
A five-year deal would probably be sufficient at this point and if he performs well, they can then look into extending his contract further.
