Liverpool are all set to make a third and final offer to Southampton for midfielder Romeo Lavia.
The Reds have so far made two bids for the 19-year-old, both of which have fallen short of Saints £50m valuation. Both proposals have been rejected.
But according to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri via X, Liverpool are now ready to make a final push.
“Liverpool FC ready to make a third & ultimate offer for Romeo Lavia,” says Tavolieri. “I understand the bid will meet the 40M£ transfer fee expectations by Saints FC + add-ons.
“Player’s side just waiting for LFC to activate but informed the club his desire to join the Reds. There’s a feeling that Klopp’s team are the only squad able to do such offer at that moment.
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“Dialogue remains opens as Southampton FC won’t let leave his biggest sale of the year with the financial impact of a relegation. Deal still ON.”
Let’s get this over the line, Liverpool.
Liverpool ready Lavia push
There’s no time to waste here, Liverpool need to stop messing around and meet Southampton’s valuation.
With other teams still sniffing around Lavia, Saints shouldn’t be in any great hurry to sell. They more or less know that the Belgium international is likely to hold his value even if he stays this season, too.
So, in reality, Liverpool have never held the cards in this one. The ever so slight improvement from their first bid to their second one only served to delay what feels like an inevitability.
There’s no way the Reds will let a top target slip through their fingers over £7-8m. Unless another team does come in and trump them, we expect that Lavia will end up a Liverpool player.
While good news, there is a certain amount of frustration that this couldn’t have been tied up sooner.
£50m does sound a little on the steep side, even if £10m of that ends up being in add-ons. But in a market where the likes of Declan Rice are pulling in over £100m, it could also end up looking like a good price.
Of course, there is still a chance that Southampton insist on the whole price being up-front. Even in that scenario though, having invested so much in Lavia, we think Liverpool will finally bite the bullet. Just a matter of time, Reds.