Southampton are in negotiations to sign Manchester City midfielder Romeo Lavia for £10m – with the Saints looking to beat Leeds to the promising 18-year-old’s signature
- Manchester City’s Romeo Lavia is in talks with Southampton over a £10m move
- The highly rated Lavia is a target for the Saints as well as Premier League Leeds
- City are reluctant to let him leave but will insert buy back and sell-on clauses
Manchester City prospect Romeo Lavia is in talks over a £10million move to Southampton.
Sportsmail reported earlier this month that the highly rated 18-year-old Belgian was a target for a number of clubs, but notably Southampton and Leeds United.
City were reluctant to let Lavia leave but will insert a buy back and sell-on clause for the teenager, who made his first-team bow in the Carabao Cup last season.
Manchester City’s Romeo Lavia (above), 18, is in talks over a £10million move to Southampton
City were reluctant to let Lavia leave but will insert a buy back and sell-on clause for the teen
Lavia is yet to make a Premier League appearance for City, but made a single appearance in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup last season, and was regularly part of Pep Guardiola’s wider matchday squad.
With veteran Fernandinho returning to Brazil this summer, Spanish manager Guardiola was keen to keep the youngster around the first-team squad, despite agreeing a £42m deal to sign Leeds central midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
The Belgium Under-21 international is the latest starlet Southampton are aiming to sign from a top side.
The Belgium Under-21 international is the latest starlet Saints are aiming to sign from a top side
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints bought Tino Livramento last season from Chelsea, along with 20-year-old defender Dynel Simeu, and Livramento enjoyed a superb breakout season at St Mary’s.
Southampton, who held City to two draws last season, have already bought goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu from City this window.
They snapped up the 20-year-old Irishman for around £12m and expect him to eventually compete with Alex McCarthy for the No 1 shirt.