Liverpool are still very much in pursuit of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, with reports claiming negotiations are continuing despite the Saints' rejection of Jurgen Klopp's side's third official transfer bid.
What's the latest on Romeo Lavia?
That's according to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, who has claimed that Lavia's camp are now looking to close the deal following the interminable transfer discussions and the looming Premier League campaign, merely days away.
Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed that following the knocked-back offers (believed to be £37m and £42m), Southampton have reiterated their unbending stance on the situation and will hold out for £50m.
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Liverpool have completed deals for midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but a mass exodus this summer has aggravated the Anfield side's need for reinforcements and, as such, moves must be made quickly to ensure that the club return to form.
How good is Romeo Lavia?
Liverpool's failure to conclude a move for Lavia in swift fashion threatens to hamper the return to Premier League action after a calamitous season that has left the Merseyside outfit plying their trade outside of the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons.
Indeed, with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson's respective sales to Saudi Arabian sides, Liverpool do not have a natural No. 6 available to start the daunting curtain-raiser away against Chelsea, who will be targetting their own resurgence this year.
Thiago Alcantara and breakout star Stefen Bajcetic are both options for the campaign, but alas still remain sidelined following injuries earlier this year, though they have now returned to training.
Lavia would be the perfect solution, and his skills and tenacity in the centre of the park would slot into Klopp's Liverpool system like a dovetail joint; despite suffering relegation with Southampton last term, the 19-year-old gem radiated style and composure as he held the midfield together, dubbed an "absolute monster" by journalist Benjy Nurick.
Having been hailed for his defensive acumen and passing prowess by legendary midfielder Paul Scholes, who remarked that he "sets the play in motion" so impressively, Lavia would be the answer Klopp covets to return to prominence this year.
As per Sofascore, the Belgian starlet recorded an average rating of 6.80 in the Premier League last season, completing 86% of his passes, making 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game and succeeding with 68% of his dribbles and 57% of his ground duels.
The £25k-per-week machine also ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for blocks per 90, illustrating his energy and intensity in closing down danger and alleviating the stress on the backline – something that Liverpool's midfield failed to do last year.
Fabinho was far below the standard last season, lambasted for his "criminal" performances by Kenn Leandre, and his departure, while leaving a hole in the midfield, could prove to increase Liverpool's robustness if the summer transfer business is concluded competently.
One star who could both aid Lavia in the Anfield centre and perhaps see his own game enhanced is midfield maestro Thiago, who is one of the Premier League's technically superlative stars but has spent the lion's share of his Anfield career out injured since signing from Bayern Munich for an initial £20m in 2020, missing 66 matches.
Despite this, the 32-year-old Spaniard boasts the ball-playing aptitude and tackling tenacity to mentor Lavia onto the track for a career at the very top of the game, yielding the complete, all-embracing midfield arsenal to strike fear into the hearts of the opposition.
As per FBref, the £200k-per-week Liverpool ace ranks among the top 3% of midfielders for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 16% for successful take-ons, the top 4% for tackles and the top 10% for interceptions per 90.
With a competent defensive midfielder threading the centre together, Thiago could unleash his skills with full-fledged ferocity, emboldened by the bouncing prodigy next to him, protecting the backline and batting away danger.
Likewise, Thiago's defensive efforts would ensure that Lavia – already called "exquisite" by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell – would not be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task: starring in the very middle of Liverpool's midfield.
Klopp must complete the deal swiftly after the laborious negotiations that have yet to find an agreement, and while Southampton are standing firm in their valuation, the Reds are inching closer and could finally thrive with a new centrepiece to kickstart a return to lasting form.