EXCLUSIVE: Lavia wants Arsenal transfer over Liverpool and Chelsea

Steve Kay

Updated: 4 Jul 2023 11:47 BST
3 min read

Romeo Lavia, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool — © ProShots

Romeo Lavia would prefer to join Arsenal over Liverpool or Chelsea this summer, FootbalTransfers has learned.

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Arsenal are in a three-horse race to sign the Southampton midfielder, along with Liverpool and Chelsea.

However, as FootballTransfers exclusively reported last week, Arsenal have fallen behind their two Premier League rivals in the chase.

The reason for this is because of the time it is taking to complete the signing of Declan Rice and the sale of Thomas Partey.

Arsenal cannot and will not complete a move for Lavia until Rice and Partey’s deals are resolved.

With Rice’s transfer from West Ham now imminent, If Arsenal can find a way to sell Partey for a price they are satisfied with, then they will go back in for Lavia.

© ProShots - Arsenal must sell Thomas Partey

Why Romeo Lavia wants Arsenal

And FootballTransfers has learned that Lavia would prefer to sign for Arsenal over Liverpool and Chelsea if a price can be agreed with Southampton.

There are multiple reasons for this. The offering of Champions League football, the presence of Mikel Arteta and the ‘Arsenal project’, and the image of a well-run club have given the Gunners the advantage over their rivals in the eyes of Lavia and many other transfer targets.

Furthermore, Arsenal are able to pay better wages than Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool Tottenham and Chelsea this summer.

This is due to the excellent job the club has done in the past three seasons at clearing out dead wood and cutting expenditure on wages.

Agreeing a price with Southampton for Lavia could be tricky, as Arsenal are not willing to pay the £50 million that the relegated Premier League team are demanding.

Arsenal are in a good position with the player, though.

They have been talking to Lavia’s entourage since April. Talks have gone very well, which gives Arsenal the edge.

But first Arsenal must sell Partey - and this is holding up the whole process.