Liverpool could now have to pay as much as £60m to sign Romeo Lavia, with Southampton confident of landing a huge deal for the midfielder.
According to the Daily Record, Saints officials believe that they can secure £60m for the Belgian international, almost £10m more than what Liverpool have been quoted for Lavia for the entire summer.
The Reds have this week had a second bid rejected by Southampton for the teenage midfielder, with the Championship side sticking to their original £50m valuation for Lavia.
However, it now appears that the St. Mary’s side have upped their asking price for the youngster, a move that could force Liverpool to reconsider other options in the market.
Indeed, the Reds have been linked with a plethora of midfielders this summer, yet Lavia remains Jurgen Klopp’s top target heading into the new season. And this update could be a gamechanger for all parties.
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£60m is a massive fee for a club like Liverpool, who this window have already spent close to £100m on new players. Yet even with Lavia being as exciting a prospect as he is, this new valuation could be end all talks for the midfielder.
Southampton might have just ended Liverpool’s pursuit for Lavia
Lauded by Jose Enrique as a player with ‘world-class’ potential, there’s no denying that Lavia would be a sensational signing for Liverpool this summer.
However, even £50m felt like a stretch for the 19-year-old midfielder, with £60m now simply a step too far from Southampton in their quest to squeeze as much value as possible out of Lavia this window.
As a result, Liverpool could be forgiven for dropping their interest in Lavia, with few clubs willing to go that high for the former Manchester City talent, despite his endless potential.