Romeo Lavia has reportedly been left out of Southampton’s squad for Tuesday night’s EFL Cup clash at Gillingham with Premier League giants Liverpool still determined to land the midfielder.
Whether the former Manchester City starlet would have featured anyway – Russell Martin may be tempted to shuffle his Saints squad against fourth-tier opposition – is anyone’s guess.
But Romeo Lavia’s absence at Priestfield will still set tongues a-wagging. Especially after Liverpool, according to BBC Sport, failed with a third bid worth around £46 million on Monday.
Liverpool make third bid for Southampton’s Romeo Lavia
Belgian reporter Sacha Tavolieri – backed up by Jim White on talkSPORT – believes that Lavia has not been included in Martin’s squad for tonight’s game. Nor did he train with the rest of the Southampton squad in the morning.
Lavia’s camp, Tavolieri adds, are ‘looking to close the deal today between Liverpool and Southampton’.
This most enticing of updates will come as a major relief to the Reds supporters fearing the prospect of heading into a new Premier League campaign with a natural deep-lying midfielder in their squad, Anfield legend Jamie Carragher less than impressed about the way his old employers have gone about negotiations with the Saints.
“This is embarrassing,” Carragher wrote on Twitter – or is it X these days? – after reports of that third failed bid filtered through.
“Liverpool for years now have got deals done quickly with no fuss. If you don’t think he’s worth £50 million, move on. If you really want him, pay it.”
Deal closer than ever
The good news, of course, is that Liverpool’s latest offer appears to be just £4 million shy of the fee Southampton want up front. Given how close both parties are in their valuation of a player who shone in a dark season for the Saints during 2022/23, it would feel like a bit of a waste at this stage if Liverpool did not end up landing one of Europe’s most exciting deep-lying playmakers.
Lavia did not make it off the bench against Sheffield Wednesday on Friday; Martin’s side leaving it late to secure a 2-1 win on opening day.
Southampton have already accepted Newcastle’s offer for Tino Livramento, and could still lose James Ward-Prowse to West Ham United.
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