Arsenal and Liverpool are unlikely to match Southampton's valuation for midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer, according to recent reports. The two sides have been heavily linked with a move for the 19-year-old, who impressed last season despite relegation with the Saints.
Lavia is of interest to a whole host of teams, with a complete rework of the midfield appearing to be the theme of the 2023 summer transfer window. Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea are all in the business of changing their central ranks before the upcoming season.
The Gunners have made some swift moves in the market to switch things up as Kai Havertz made the switch from Chelsea for £65million. While his time at Stamford Bridge was met with questions over his best position, Mikel Arteta hinted at a midfield role in his arrival.
Declan Rice seems to be the next on the agenda after the north London outfit agreed a £105million deal with West Ham for their captain. It's a huge club-record transfer fee that gives the manager options with an England international that could play in defence, in a deeper midfield role or more advanced.
There's some exits too as Granit Xhaka confirmed a move to Bayer Leverkusen in a deal that football.london understands is worth £21.5million. There could also be a move for Thomas Partey as football.london understands that the Ghanaian could leave this summer if a suitable offer is received.
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It leaves Arsenal with the option of landing another young midfielder for the years to come, with Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni linked. There's also Lavia, who at just 19 years old impressed in his debut Premier League season after making the move from Manchester City to Southampton.
Liverpool are another team in the race, but according to Sky Sports, neither they nor the Gunners are willing to meet the Saints' valuation of £50million for the youngster. It's a huge price tag for a player with plenty of potential, however with both already spending big on their midfield, such a move may be tough to budget.
It remains to be seen whether a cheaper deal is available or if another side will meet the price tag instead, however for now there appears to be a standstill in the transfer saga.
