Manchester United have already made their first midfield signing of the summer with Mason Mount confirmed, and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of another target who could join him in the centre of the pitch next season.
What's the latest on Man United's interest in Romeo Lavia?
According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United remain interested in signing Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer.
As per the report, the Red Devils are just waiting to confirm outgoings before they make a move but are still willing to compete for the players signature in a battle with Premier League rivals Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.
How much will Romeo Lavia cost?
Whilst Manchester City have a reported £40m buy-back clause on Lavia, Southampton are confident that they can command a £50m transfer fee from other parties interested in snapping up the young player's services ahead of next season – a fee that could present a stumbling block for Erik ten Hag.
Despite frivolous spending in the past, Man United are taking a much more cautious approach to their summer transfer window and are keen to offload a number of players who aren't up to scratch in order to bolster transfer funds and reduce the wage bill.
Donny van de Beek, Fred, Hannibal Mejbri and Scott McTominay are just some of the players reported to be up for sale this summer and should the club be successful in making some profit on the midfielders, it would surely pave the way for Ten Hag to secure the signing of Lavia this summer.
Despite being relegated from the top flight with the Saints, the Man City graduate has attracted attention for his standout performances in the heart of the team and alongside Casemiro in a deeper role he could be the key to making Mount thrive at Old Trafford.
The Belgian rising star boasts many ball-winning strengths; ranking in the top 30% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for interceptions, tackles, blocks, successful take-ons and pass completion over the last 12 months, as per FBref.
Lavia's efficiency in winning the ball from his opponents whilst also offering great accuracy in his passing range make him the perfect player to build attacking opportunities, play killer passes or feed shot-creating opportunities to Mount, which would be an incredibly valuable asset to Man United and to their new signing, who will be keen to impress next season.
The teenage sensation has captured attention from more than just the club's interested in signing him this summer, with high praise from football talent scout Jacek Kulig who tweeted:
"Roméo Lavia is a very underrated passer. Born in 2004. Maturity and quality. 10/10 talent."The future midfield leader of Belgium NT and a top Premier League club."
With that being said, Lavia is definitely one to watch for the Red Devils in their pursuit to rebuild their squad for the future, as he could become part of the next generation of talent that leads the club to dominance and multiple trophies once again.
The hope would be that the 5 foot 11 ace – and Mount – could lead United's title charge next season from the centre of the park.
