Things can change very quickly in football, and it appears that Southampton’s Romeo Lavia might not be Liverpool bound after all.
The 19-year-old has been the subject of fierce speculation during the transfer window this summer, and the Reds have already seen one bid for his services rejected.
On Tuesday, The Athletic (subscription required) reported that Liverpool’s second bid of £41m had also been rejected by Southampton, and that may well prompt the Anfield-based outfit to look elsewhere.
The outlet suggest that the Reds believe their second bid is a fair fee for the player given his age and experience, and the Saints might well have shot themselves in the foot on this occasion.
The ball now seems to be firmly in the south coast side’s court in terms of what happens next because Liverpool need to move quickly given the new Premier League season is under a fortnight away from starting.
Jurgen Klopp needs reinforcements in that area after the unexpected departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to the Saudi Pro League.
Perhaps the notion of shopping elsewhere is a power play on the German’s part to drive down the £50m price that it seems Southampton are keen on acquiring for their player.
The next few days could be crucial to see if the deal is absolutely dead in the water or an accord can be reached to the satisfaction of all parties.
Pay up or shut up
Not worth £50m. Looks like Southampton are hoping for a bidding war. If that’s the case, we won’t win. Move on.