The massive Belgian midfielder is the “monster” Klopp requires…
Liverpool are still negotiating with Southampton for midfielder Romeo Lavia, much to the chagrin of the Anfield faithful, with the 2023/24 Premier League season just one week away.
Who is Liverpool bringing in this summer?
The Reds’ summer transfer window began well, with Alexis MacAllister joining from Brighton & Hove Albion for £35 million before Dominik Szoboszlai was signed from RB Leipzig for £60 million.
However, progress was delayed when Saudi interest resulted in the departures of hardworking midfielders Fabinho and – captain – Jordan Henderson.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have subsequently had two bids for Lavia rejected, with the second offer, £41 million, falling well short of Saints’ £50 million asking price.
What is Romeo Lavia’s playing style?
Lavia has been outstanding since joining Southampton from Manchester City in a move for up to £14 million a year ago, and his performances on the south coast suggest that he possesses every ounce of quality required for success at the highest level.
Despite the turmoil at St. Mary’s Stadium and the discordant and fractured harmony of Southampton’s squad, he scored an average rating of 6.80 in the English top division, resulting in a 20th-place finish.
If Klopp is successful in his pursuit, the £38k-per-week ace will be able to slot seamlessly into the Liverpool midfield; The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell agrees, saying: “in terms of technical quality and tactical understanding, he’s more than ready to go right into that Liverpool midfield.”
It is his natural ease and presence in the No. 6 role that will allow teammates around him to flourish, with his ranking among the top 4% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for blocks per 90 over the past year, according to FBref, demonstrating his tenacity and determination to stifle opposition transitions.
Lavia’s presence at Anfield would undoubtedly assist Szoboszlai, with the 32-cap Hungary captain’s creative powers requiring a steel-clad foundation behind him to ensure he can properly contribute to the offensive efforts.
And the £120k-per-week maestro could also help Lavia with his work, as he is among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers in terms of blocks and clearances per 90 minutes.
Szoboszlai had an outstanding average rating of 7.42 in the German Bundesliga last season after scoring six goals and providing eight assists in 28 starts, producing 2.3 critical passes per game, averaging 1.5 tackles per match, and completing 83% of his passes.
Lavia is the “absolute monster” that Szoboszlai requires to thrive in the Premier League, while he can also use his own dynamism and defensive application to ensure that the workload is not too heavy for the teenage talent; it could be a Merseyside partnership for the ages, and Liverpool must ensure that they get this one over the line.