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View: Who is new £12m Southampton prodigy Romeo Lavia as Fabrizio Romano reports done deal
Southampton have sealed a £12m deal with Manchester City but who is Southampton’s new 18-year-old prodigy Romeo Lavia (Fabrizio Romano).
The Saints have been rumoured to have been in negotiations with the Citizens for weeks now but Italian journalist, Romano, has now confirmed that a deal has been agreed between the two clubs.
The Belgium under-21 international completed is said to have his medical today and the deal will include a buy-back clause for City, a clause of around £40m.
Who is Lavia?
Lavia may be an unknown entity to the majority of football fans and that is to be expected as he has only made two first-team appearances for City last year, one in the FA Cup and one in the League Cup.
However, the former Anderlecht youth player is a huge talent, and has the potential to become a very reliable and capable midfielder, with fans labelling him “the next Fernandinho.”
Romeo won the PL2 as well as the U18’s Premier League during his first season with the club.
As for what Southampton can expect from their new signing, Lavia is a dynamic ball-winning midfielder, with an eye for a pass and great positioning.
He is excellent in regaining possession for his team while launching attacks and being smooth in transition.
The Belgian made 27 appearances for Man City across the PL2, and UEFA Youth League among other competitions as well as making 21 appearances for Belgium’s youth teams from under-15 level to under-21 level.
The reported fee of £12m fee may seem steep for an unproven teenager, however, if his performance against Wycombe Wanderers on (21 September) is anything to go by, the midfielder has the potential to become a player who is worth twice the fee the Saints are acquiring him for.