Southampton star completes €62m move - Why Chelsea were so desperate to sign Roméo Lavia

Southampton may have been deemed not good enough for the Premier League last season, when the Saints were unceremoniously relegated from the English top-flight after finishing the league campaign in last place. But that hasn’t stopped a number of the country’s biggest clubs from cherry-picking young stars from a squad that new manager Russell Martin only inherited last month. 

Market Value

R. Lavia Defensive Midfield

€32.00m

So far this summer, the Saints have already lost Tino Livramento to Newcastle (€37.2 million), James Ward-Prowse to West Ham (€34.8m), Mohammed Salisu to Monaco (€15m) and Duje Caleta-Car has departed on loan to Lyon, among a number of other key departures. However, perhaps the most high-profile example can be found in the buzz around 19-year-old midfielder Roméo Lavia, who has now completed a dramatic move toChelsea. According to multiple reports, the player makes the move to Stamford Bridge for an initial €62m, with potential add ons taking the deal to €68m. Such a move now makes Lavia the Saints' second most expensive sale ever and Chelsea's eighth of the summer window. 

Such a price for a player from a team that were comfortably relegated doesn’t come around every day, so what makes Lavia such an enticing talent and a player that has now cost far more than his current market value of €32 million? Let’s take a look at the young star’s key attributes and why Chelsea were so desperate to sign him.

How good is Roméo Lavia? 

The 2022/23 season was Lavia’s first full campaign at senior level and much of the intrigue in the young midfielder comes from the fact that he didn’t struggle at all to fit into the Premier League and offer the physicality, speed and technical ability that is often required to play in the English top-flight. And in many ways Lavia truly thrived, despite being a key figure in a Southampton team that got relegated. 

Player Comparison

Roméo Lavia

Moisés Caicedo

Chelsea FC

Chelsea FC

€32.00m

Market Value

€75.00m

19

Age

21

Defensive Midfield

Position

Defensive Midfield

Jun 30, 2030

Contract until

Jun 30, 2031

Full Player Comparison

For example, when we take a look at central midfielders 22 years of age or under in the Premier League last season, only two - Moisés Caicedo and Amadou Onana - picked up more interceptions than Lavia. While the Southampton talent came in second in recoveries, fourth in ground duels won, fourth in tackles won and first for blocked passes among his peers. In other words, Lavia is well on his way to becoming a leading defensive midfielder in the Premier League. 

As such, it's not hard to see why Chelsea were so keen on signing the midfielder. Although the London club have already signed Caicedo in this transfer window, the Ecuadorian signing would have joined his new side as their only holding, ball-winning midfielder. Lavia now makes the move to Chelsea as further depth in that specific role and should allow the likes of Enzo Fernández, Conor Gallagher and other central midfielders to move back to their more attacking roles.