26 July 2023 , 07:51
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Southampton manager Russell Martin insists Romeo Lavia "may still be here" come September after rejecting Liverpool's bid.
Liverpool offered £37m for the Belgium international, 19, but Southampton are holding out for closer to £50m. The Saints are under pressure to sell Lavia after suffering relegation from the Premier League last season but won't let him leave on the cheap.
Southampton paid Manchester City an initial £10.5m to sign the midfielder a year ago, with a further £3.5m due in add-ons. Yet they also owe Pep Guardiola's side 20 per cent of any future sale, which is why they want a record fee for a Championship player.
Nathan Ake is currently the most expensive player in Championship history after his £40m move from Bournemouth to Man City three years ago. Martin gave an update on Lavia's future after Southampton's 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth on Tuesday evening.
Lavia started against the Cherries but was taken off at half-time. According to journalists in attendance at St Mary's, the teenager looked 'uninterested' and was 'coasting' through the game. Yet Martin was pleased with his performance against Bournemouth.
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"Pleased with his attitude, easiest thing to do would be to not play tonight," Martin told reporters. "Not easy for a young player to handle the noise, but he’s handled it well. Latest news is very public, he may still be here he may not."
Liverpool are on the hunt for a new defensive midfielder, with Fabinho considering a £40m move to Al-Ittihad. Although the transfer has stalled in recent days, the Saudi Pro League champions are still interested in signing the 29-year-old midfielder.
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The Reds are also in danger of losing their captain Jordan Henderson after accepting a £12m bid from Al-Ettifaq, the Saudi club managed by Steven Gerrard. It's believed the 33-year-old midfielder has been offered a £700,000-a-week salary by the Saudis.
Liverpool have already signed two midfielders in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. They paid Brighton an initial £35m to bring Mac Allister to Merseyside, while Szoboszlai made the switch after they activated his £60m release clause at RB Leipzig.
Yet Mac Allister and Szoboszlai are thought to be replacements for James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, who all left Liverpool on free transfers in June. Klopp has hinted that more players could be on their way to Anfield shortly.
"My main focus and my main energy has to go into the training sessions, that’s what I do," Klopp told the We Are Liverpool Podcast when quizzed on transfers. "The time left and right of the sessions then I can try and sort other stuff, and that’s what we are doing.
"Still around three to four weeks until the first game of the season, a few things have to happen until then. Definitely. Transfer market-wise as well, that’s clear now. It will happen, and we will have a good team."