Southampton CEO Phil Parsons has said they won’t buckle under the pressure to sell Romeo Lavia to Liverpool below the midfielder’s market value.
Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, the Championship official revealed that the Saints will remain firm on their asking price for Lavia despite Liverpool now having three bids rejected for the Belgian international.
The Reds are keen on signing the 19-year-old but are yet to meet Southampton’s £50m demands for the midfielder, with Liverpool aiming to complete a deal for Lavia before next week’s Premier League opener against Chelsea.
Southampton have proven themselves to be tricky customers for Lavia, and the club CEO has now doubled downed on their stance on selling their star asset to Liverpool this summer.
Parsons said: “We won’t be selling assets on the cheap. That’s why we stood firm on a few. We will develop a lot of players over the coming years and there will be players who go on to join top-four clubs.
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“But we won’t be doing it at a cheap rate, we will be doing it at the going rate. If clubs want to place offers, we will look at them. We won’t be saying just yes to any offer through the door.”
Liverpool could end up paying Southampton’s demands for Lavia
Southampton have stuck to their guns all summer over Lavia’s asking price, and Liverpool could now have to meet the Saints demands with the Championship side’s CEO now saying they won’t succumb to late transfer pressure.
£50m might seem steep for a player with just one season of Premier League experience, but given Lavia’s age and incredible potential, the cost could be worth in the long run for Liverpool.
Moreover, with time running out between now and the end of the season, the Reds could themselves now feel pressured to sign Lavia in time for Chelsea, who could be a good squad member for the opening fixture.