Roméo Lavia prefers Chelsea to Liverpool in further blow for Klopp

Chelsea are poised to continue their spending spree by beating Liverpool to Southampton’s Roméo Lavia.

Liverpool have already missed out on Caicedo, whose preference was always to move to Stamford Bridge, and Jürgen Klopp is braced for more disappointment in his hunt for a new midfielder.

The Merseyside club had a bid worth up to £60m for Lavia accepted by Southampton on Sunday night, but they have been unable to convince the 19-year-old to choose them. Chelsea are confident of wrapping up a deal for Lavia soon. They have not reached an agreement with Southampton but are expected to pay £50m plus add-ons for the Belgian.

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The latest incomings will take Chelsea’s spending to around £900m since being bought by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital last summer. The outlay will raise questions over how they will pass financial fair play rules. They have moved 13 players out this summer – the goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, has joined Real Madrid on loan – and there could be several more departures before the transfer window shuts on 1 September.

Klopp aimed a dig at Chelsea’s spending on Sunday, saying their managers usually get what they want. Liverpool had an offer of £111m accepted for Caicedo but were outdone by Chelsea’s bid of £100m plus £15m in add-ons. He has signed an eight-year deal, with the option of an extra year, and could feature when Chelsea visit West Ham on Sunday.

Mauricio Pochettino has been desperate to add more depth in midfield. Chelsea have allowed Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kanté, Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to leave this year. They started with a midfield of Enzo Fernández, Conor Gallagher and Carney Chukwuemeka during their 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday. Funds could be raised by selling Gallagher once Lavia arrives.

Chelsea made Fernández the most expensive player in the history of English football when they signed him for £106.8m in January. The Argentina midfielder starred against Liverpool and the arrival of Caicedo means Pochettino has more than £200m of talent in midfield.

Brighton drove a hard bargain, demanding at least £100m for Caicedo, and rejected several bids for the 21-year-old. They have negotiated a sell-on clause for the Ecuador midfielder, who joined the Seagulls from Independiente del Valle for £4.5m in February 2021.

Bournemouth have triggered the £20m release clause in Tyler Adams’s contract at Leeds. The 24-year-old United States international was poised to join Chelsea but his move to Stamford Bridge collapsed as the club stepped up talks with Caicedo and Lavia. Adams has also been linked with Liverpool.

Bournemouth are optimistic about making the midfielder their eighth summer signing. Adams’s release clause kicked in after Leeds’ relegation to the Championship in May.