Chelsea are reportedly looking to add Romeo Lavia this summer as part of a swap deal for Alejandro Garnacho. Garnacho’s future at Old Trafford was thrown into uncertainty with this match. At the end of last season, the forward expressed his displeasure with Manchester United’s disappointing Premier League campaign. They finished in a dismal 15th place.
After a turbulent summer, the 21-year-old secured a £40m move to Stamford Bridge, while Ruben Amorim strengthened his attacking line with the signings of Matheus Cunha, Brian Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. However, rather than a direct cash deal, United are understood to have been offered Chelsea prospect Lavia as part of a deal for Garnacho, but the Red Devils rejected the offer due to fitness concerns, according to ESPN. Lavia played in Manchester City’s youth set-up in 2021 and completed a move to Southampton the following year, making 34 appearances for Saints.
Throughout his time at St Mary’s, former manager Josep Guardiola was quick to praise his progress. Speaking ahead of City’s game against Southampton in April 2023, the Spanish tactician said:
“We had an incredible opinion of him and still do. We thought about keeping him, but he probably won’t get as much playing time as he did at Southampton.”
Lavia secured a move to Chelsea for £58m just a year after joining Southampton, but the youngster has struggled to establish himself in Enzo Maresca’s side.
The news suggests that Chelsea also have concerns about the midfielder. The Belgian faces stiff competition for his place from the likes of Enzo Fernandes and Moises Caicedo, and has also been plagued by injuries since arriving in west London.
Lavia is believed to have missed a staggering 79 games for the Blues due to ankle, hamstring and thigh problems and muscle strains, adding to the medical challenges Maresca has had to deal with since taking over last summer. This season alone, Maresca has seen several key players miss significant game time through injury, with Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill and Liam Delap all out for extended periods.
Fortunately, these fitness issues have not significantly hampered Chelsea’s Premier League title ambitions so far this season, with the London club currently sitting third in the top flight with six wins, two draws and three defeats. They have also won four of their last five league games.
Meanwhile, in the Champions League, Chelsea are currently in 12th place with two wins, one draw, and one loss in their opening four games. Maresca is well aware of the challenges that lie ahead as Chelsea prepare to resume Premier League action on Saturday, November 22nd, when they face Scott Parker’s tenacious Burnley side. The Blues also have games against Barcelona and Arsenal before the end of the month, marking the start of a busy schedule for the new year.
