Chelsea are still "following" Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia for a summer move, however Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo remains the "priority" target, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Is Moises Caicedo signing for Chelsea?
Brighton manger Robert De Zerbi effectively proposed a swap deal involving Caicedo and Levi Colwill earlier this week, however Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear the centre-back will not be put up for sale, recently saying:
“He is our player and he is going to continue with us. I am happy with him, his performance was good today, better than what I expected because it is only the first game with us after the season with Brighton. I am so happy, he can be one of the greatest centre-backs in England.”
As such, the Blues will have to match Brighton's asking price for the Ecuadorian midfielder if they are to sign him this summer, and journalist Dean Jones believes they will be willing to fork out £80m to get the deal over the line.
It is thought that the Seagulls would accept a bid in that region, but it also needs to be "topped up with add-ons, and Chelsea are now working on a deal of that nature, according to The Daily Mail.
The report also states that the 21-year-old has been assured he will be allowed to leave this summer, should a suitable bid be tabled.
Romano has now dropped an update on Chelsea's pursuit of Caicedo, while he also makes it clear that Lavia remains a potential target, telling CaughtOffside:
"Chelsea are also following the Lavia situation due to the connection with Joe Shields, one of the Chelsea directors, but it’s not linked to the Moises Caicedo deal. Caicedo remains the priority for Chelsea, but Shields had Lavia at Southampton and Manchester City, so he knows the player well and there is a good connection there."
How good is Romeo Lavia?
Lauded as an "absolute monster" by journalist Benjy Nurick, the central midfielder was a shining light in a poor Southampton side last season, averaging 2.1 tackles per game in the Premier League, the second-highest figure in the squad.
Over the past year, the 19-year-old has also displayed his defensive aptitude by averaging 1.90 blocks per 90, which places him in the 96th percentile compared to other players in his position.
The Saints are resigned to losing the Belgian youngster this summer, and they are hoping to receive a fee of £50m, which makes him a cheaper option than Caicedo, however there are doubts over whether he is at the same level as the Brighton midfielder.
Although he has been playing in a better side, the Ecuador international has averaged more tackles and interceptions per 90 than Lavia over the past year, while he has also recorded a far better pass-completion rate.
As such, it is the right call for Caicedo to remain Chelsea's priority midfield target, and they should only look to sign Lavia if they miss out on the Brighton star.
