14 Aug 2023 11:11:23
Does anyone on here have a strong opinion on Lavia? I know the Southampton fans seems to speak highly of him and he's got a full Belgium cap already at 19 so is clearly a good prospect but I can't say I ever noticed him in the small times I watched Southampton last season and the fee seems eye watering and all the more baffling as it seems £10m more than what was being quoted as the asking price. Do people think he is going to come in and be a top level DM this year? Or is he a work in progress?

1.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 11:22:13
I haven't really seen him play. I'll have seen him but didn't take any real notice of him. I've seen some positive comments from Southampton fans about him and he has a good head on his young shoulders, I believe.

2.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 11:22:51
I know last week posters who said we should just bid 50 mill for Lavia and get the deal done were told that they know nothing about negotiations and the club clearly don’t value him at 50 mill and we weren’t lowballing.

Interested to hear those posters thoughts now on our negotiations after we’ve just bid 60 mill.

3.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 11:26:29
My sense is that he is more about future potential than what he is now with his skills. It explains the high price tag on him. I'm also assuming the club knows what they're doing and that even now at his age and skill level, he is seen as being better than what we have in the squad for that DM position. Otherwise, why bother?

4.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 11:29:34
He’s a baller no doubt. Definitely a work in progress but has lots of potential. Expensive at £60 million but could easily turn out to be a £100 million player. Of course there is risk but he is young and has time on his side to improve. Seems to be the going rate for good young players at the moment and he will improve our team.

5.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 11:33:12
He has higher celling then Stefan Bajčetić but atm he looses balls in dangerous areas including he's passing can be erratic in dangerous areas sometimes. If clubs go for him that would be coz of he's potential.

6.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 11:35:36
Think the thing with lavia is we still need another dm.

A big horrible physical one, lavia is 19 so is a work in progress will need time and will have mistakes in him.

7.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 11:36:16
From what I've seen he looks a very good player. Quick on the turn, passes the ball very nicely and gets himself out of tight spots very well. He seems quite strong too for someone so young and also seems to read the game very well.

Listen, he's 19, it's going to be a risk should we get him but we desperately need a CDM in there and I certainly think he will be a great acquisition. How he feels about us trying to sign him then going to Caicedo then going back. I'm not sure.

Hopefully, we'll get the deal done and it'll prove worthwhile!

I only want players that "WANT" to play for us. Despite how much more suited Caicedo was for our team, the minute he said he wanted Chelsea I'm glad we didn't end up with him!

8.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 11:39:12
I rate him Cobra. We would be buying for his high ceiling.

As a player, he's very press resistant, comfortable using both feet, good anticipation and a good duel winner.

He's not a destroyer like Palhinha or Ugarte who are literally built to tackle. Lavia is more technical than that and that is probably why we are targeting him over others.

The fee is irrelevant now. We bought knives to a gunfight with Chelsea and now have to decide on whether we want to stump up the cash or walk away and look at plan D, E and F now.

9.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 11:42:13
Lavia has the potential to be world class. He is already a very good midfielder so for me if you’re factoring in he is only 19 and his future value. Then yes, a total package of £60 million including add ons is worth it. Just get the guy up North to Liverpool and get his medical done. Cannot afford any complications on this deal. After that go and pay Sporting Lisbon the £45 million release clause for Inacio. No bidding £30 million and slowly increasing the bid… ust get it done!

10.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 11:56:03
Were our negotiations not influenced by Chelsea's negotiations?
Southampton don't have to sell to us because we need a midfielder and forum members are becoming restless.

11.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 12:00:39
Said all along he'll end up better than Caicedo.

12.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 12:04:46
Mess of a window again.

Everyone’s strengthening their team around us, and we’re still struggling to sign a kid who won’t make a difference Yet.

We’re not getting top four, we needed a better summer than this.

13.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 12:09:42
JK23- it’s been a bit of a crazy few days but in hindsight it’s looking like the best thing would have been to get the deal agreed last week (or earlier) but personally I feel we did the right thing in going for Caicedo as I think he’s a top class operator its just unfortunate the way it’s panned out.

14.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 12:10:02
JK23, Ed002 has clearly stated that Chelsea were in for Lavia long before Liverpool and want 2 DM's, this could be why Southampton tossed our bids aside so flippantly.

Liverpool must have been aware that Chelsea were in for Lavia, so left gaps between bids to try and make Chelsea show their hand, which they did in the end at £48m. Then upping it to £55m when they had that rejected, now we know what we are playing against we have countered with a £60m bid.

Saying we never valued the player at £50m and are now paying £60m because we are desperate is a very one dimensional way of thinking. As stated before by myself and others the people negotiating at the club actually know what they're doing, negotiations is a game of cat and mouse.

The reality is Chelsea have an owner who's huge ego is only matched in size by his wallet, so unfortunately unless the player says he only wants Liverpool, we will struggle to get him.

15.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 12:11:18
I think we’d seriously regret missing out on Lavia but I’m not sure he’s what we need right now. We need an experienced holding midfielder who is defensively minded first and foremost. There’s also no point in making signings that block Bajcetic. It’s a tricky one and I don’t have an answer.

16.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 12:16:04
If we had 100m+ for Caicedo, we might as well try for Tchouaméni.

17.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 12:43:06
I am sure there a more than enough Lavia, Caicedo in world, its just our scouting and transfer team not working as hard as Brighton team to unearth them.

18.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 12:49:38
100%, raviance. Please at least try for the guy. I think Ed002 has said that RM would be open to selling Tchouameni, and they may well need even more funds for Mbappe now. Just offer the Caicedo money and a wage similar to Van Dijk’s/ Trent’s and see if it’s doable.

19.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 12:56:58
Cobra / Sz Sz cheers for the replies gents. My comment was very much tongue in cheek.

The narrative on here was the club didn’t value him at 50 mill.

20.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 13:34:02
I get that JK23, look forward to discussing points on here with you mate.

21.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 13:34:37
The club still doesn't value him at £50 mill @JK. This is utter desperation.

22.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 13:13:32
Pity Tchou has shown absolutely no public desire to come to us because I'm with you both on that wholeheartedly.

We've proven ourselves to be RM's b*t*h for a few years now. Might as well keep our friends close and our enemies closer.

Even a loan with a right to buy. I know, I'm dreaming.

23.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 13:50:04
I agree Raviance, surely we could offer Real 80-100m for Touchemeni and see what happens?

Want Real over Liverpool last summer but not quite what he'd have hope for so far. Also, Real desperately need a striker right now so a big bid might well tempt them - they could get Mbappe now if they want, he's already told PSG he will see out his contract and leave on a free. The guy only wants Real so a big bid for Touchemeni could well tempt them.

24.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 15:35:05
Lavia looks good from what I've seen. A prospect in that he is very young and doesn't have much experience yet but he would still clearly be straight into our first 11 and improve us.

25.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 16:09:23
The club didn’t think Lavia was worth the dough. That is a fact based on the actual bids they made for him.
Also, many on here including myself said that we could still sign him when all is said and done as that was not out of the question either cos it’s how negotiations work at times. Not sure what all the fuss is about suddenly.