Chelsea are set to snatch Joe Shields from Southampton – and a move for midfielder Romeo Lavia in 2023 seems almost inevitable now.
The Blues are completely revamping their operation under new owner Todd Boehly.
Manager Graham Potter has arrived from Brighton and Hove Albion whilst former RB Leipzig man Christopher Vivell is coming in as technical director.
Chelsea still want to overhaul their recruitment department and with a sporting director also wanted, the Blues are set to make an interesting move.
Chelsea are set to snatch Joe Shields
The Blues are believed to be close to adding Southampton’s head of senior recruitment Joe Shields to the Stamford Bridge revolution.
Fabrizio Romano broke the news on Wednesday, claiming that a deal was close for Shields to leave Southampton and become Chelsea’s director of recruitment.
This is an enormous blow for Southampton.
They only managed to convince Shields to leave Manchester City for the South Coast this past summer and it looks like he is already on his way out.
As if it couldn’t get any worse for Southampton, Shields leaving for Chelsea only appears to the raise the chances of Romeo Lavia leaving.
The Athletic note that Shields was influential in convincing Lavia to join Southampton this past summer having worked together at City.
Just weeks after joining Southampton, Lavia was the subject of up to £50million verbal offer from Chelsea, who really wanted to lure the Belgian to West London.
That was a bizarre situation for Southampton but they stood firm and refused to sell Lavia to Chelsea.
Now all of a sudden, the man who brought Lavia to Southampton in the first place is heading to Chelsea and a 2023 bid seems inevitable.
Lavia, 18, has shown huge potential in the Southampton side this season and Chelsea may see him as the future of their midfield.
With Shields set to arrive, don’t be surprised if Lavia follows very soon.
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