Liverpool continue to pursue a move for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia at Anfield.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp wants to mould Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia into a star, as transfer insider Dean Jones provides Splashsoccer with the latest news on negotiations at Anfield.
The Reds hope to bolster their midfield options as we approach the opening weekend of the Premier League season this weekend.
Southampton manager Russell Martin has indirectly implied that the ball is in Liverpool’s court in their pursual of Lavia.
After leaving out Lavia from their Carabao Cup defeat at Gillingham, Martin told BBC Radio Solent (via the Express): “There needs to be movement that suits us as a club. I don’t envisage anything changing between now and the weekend, but it’s football, right, so anything can happen.
“We’ll be prepared for everything and anything. The guys we left behind today isn’t out of a lack of respect for the competition or anything like that.
“It’s about we need to see everyone out on the pitch at some point because we might need people.
“Some people we think might go might end up staying, and some people we think are going to stay might end up going. It’s so fluid.”
According to Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy, Liverpool have made an offer worth around £46m for Lavia after seeing their last bid worth £45m rejected.
Reports throughout the summer have suggested that Southampton are demanding £50m to sell the 19-year-old before the transfer window’s closure on the 1st September.
And Jones claims that Liverpool are hoping to “win the bidding” but claims Lavia won’t solve all of their midfield problems, having sold Fabinho and Jordan Henderson this summer.
What has Jones said about Liverpool and Lavia?
Jones told splashsoccer: “The benching [in Southampton’s Championship opener at Sheffield Wednesday] was a signal of the ongoing saga, and we have now reached the point of bidding where I was told Saints would start to cave in, and I think Liverpool have an awareness of that, or they would not be creeping up so gradually.
“They are expecting something to give in these negotiations so that they win the bidding and get the player closer to the terms they were hoping for all along.
“I think it’s important with this Lavia deal that we realise too that he won’t solve all of Liverpool’s problems. He would not make up for the departures of Fabinho and Henderson. There will be a major void of experience in the middle of the park, but of course, he is still a wonderful player that Klopp wants to get hold of and mould into a Liverpool star.”
What next for Liverpool this summer?
Despite being top of Liverpool’s priorities at the time of writing, the Reds have several names on their transfer shortlist for the remaining weeks of the window.
Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor has recently told splashsoccer that the signing of Fiorentina and Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat would ‘soften the blow’ of losing Fabinho at Anfield.
Meanwhile, YorkshireLive has claimed that Sheffield United youngster Daniel Jebbison has appeared on Klopp’s radar alongside Merseyside rivals Everton.
The 19-year-old would unlikely make an immediate impact in the first-team but could be seen as a star to lead the line in the future at Anfield.
And Anfield Watch has revealed that Liverpool have held talks with the agent of Aston Villa youngster Jadoen Philogene, who has also attracted the interest of Newcastle United.
