'Youngster they really like' - why Liverpool don't need Lavia to replace Fabinho

Stuart Telford

• 23 Jul 2023 11:23 BST
• 3 min read

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Southampton's Romeo Lavia to replace Saudi Arabia-bound Fabinho, but they needn't bother, according to a source close to the situation.

There has been a sea-change in Liverpool's midfield this summer.

Fabinho and club captain Jordan Henderson could find themselves on opposite sides of a Saudi Arabian divide next season, with Al-Ittihad and Al-Ettifaq paying £40 million and £12m respectively for their services.

READ: Bayern Munich ready to hijack Liverpool star's Saudi transfer

James Milner has already left on a free transfer to Brighton, following Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out of the club, while the Reds have spent nearly £100m on acquiring Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister and RB Leipzig's Dominik Szoboszlai.

But of all the ins and outs, Fabinho's profile is the most specific as a defensive midfielder, and the Reds have been linked with a £45m bid for the former Manchester City starlet. But Ian Doyle, Chief Writer at the Liverpool Echo, thinks they already have a solution in-house.

Plan B-ajcetic

"The problem you have is, don't forget you have [Stefan] Bajcetic," he told The Redmen TV Liverpool podcast. "He's a youngster they really like.

READ: Why Spain want to stop Bajcetic becoming the next Garnacho

"Liverpool have the benefit of seeing him play and he knocked Fabinho out of the team in January and February; that tells you the potential he has and what he can achieve. They don't want to block his path.

"I can't see them signing someone like [Crystal Palace's] Cheick Doucoure and Lavia because that would just block Bajcetic completely."

Bajecetic made six Premier League starts for Liverpool after the turn of the year, and came off the bench as the Reds hammered Manchester United 7-0 in March.

Although he had limited time to impress, the Spanish youth international averaged one interception and one successful take-on per 90 minutes, putting him among the best in his position league-wide by those measures.