Southampton capitalized on this former player at the optimal time.
Before going on a new season in the Championship following a terrible relegation, it’s safe to say that a number of Southampton’s more costly players left the club.
Nathan Tella, James Ward-Prowse, and Tino Livramento all left the Saints for pastures new, with each transaction adding a sizable sum to Southampton’s coffers.
While those three have gone on to succeed and justify their high prices – Ward-Prowse’s £30 million move to West Ham United now appears to be a steal as the ex-Saints man has 12 assists in all competitions – this other major sale has underwhelmed since leaving St. Mary’s.
Romeo Lavia’s time at Southampton in numbers
Romeo Lavia’s stint on the South Coast would be brief, with the ex-Manchester City youth product making only 34 appearances last season before joining Chelsea for a hefty fee.
The 20-year-old shone brightly for the relegation hopefuls despite their bleak situation for the bulk of the season, contributing a single goal for the Saints in 29 Premier League outings.
However, Chelsea’s bid of £58 million – £28 million more than Ward-Prowse’s cost from West Ham – to get the intriguing teenager appeared to be an outlandish figure at the time, and it still does when you consider how often the Belgian defensive midfielder has been used at Stamford Bridge to date.
The talent Chelsea have in Roméo Lavia… pic.twitter.com/0kOawylpLa
— ~ (@CFCdruw) March 4, 2024
Lavia has yet to play a complete 90 minutes for Chelsea since signing last summer, with only one brief 32-minute appearance against Crystal Palace in late December. This is largely due to a disastrous campaign caused by injuries.
However, given that Southampton was able to purchase Lavia for substantially less at £10.5 million before generating a huge profit on him just one season later, the Saints hit the jackpot when they sold their former star asset.
Romeo Lavia’s transfer value now at Chelsea
According to Football Transfers, the 5’11” Belgian’s transfer value has dropped to €41.3 million (£35 million) as a result of his impulsive move to Mauricio Pochettino’s side, reducing his worth by more than £20 million already.
Pundits such as Gary Neville have criticized Chelsea’s overspending for the sake of it, labeling the recent purchase of Lavia as a “ego” signing by Todd Boehly and co. rather than a prudent investment for the future.
The Sky Sports analyst stated: “They [Chelsea] went and signed Enzo, Caicedo, and then through their ego, they went and bought Lavia on the last day of the transfer window, and now they had to trade Conor Gallagher? They didn’t need Lavia; he hadn’t even played a game for them.
Southampton has never looked back and wondered if they should have kept their former star around for longer, excelling in the second tier with the likes of Flynn Downes, Stuart Armstrong, and Will Smallbone forming a tight-knit synergy in the centre of the park for Martin’s men over the flashiness of Lavia.
Pochettino will keep his fingers crossed that Lavia can ultimately turn things around for the struggling Blues, which was hampered by his first season at Stamford Bridge being riddled with injuries.
At the moment, there is no doubt that Lavia was a major transfer disaster on Chelsea’s part, given how quickly the 20-year-old’s transfer value has plummeted since his arrival.
Southampton, on the other hand, must see the situation as a golden opportunity.
