Liverpool need £10m transfer favour from club most unlikely to give them one

Liverpool have been tipped to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton this summer as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster his midfield following a dismal season last time out. The Reds are currently said to be unwilling to meet the Saints’ £50million valuation for the ace but could be prepared to do business at £40m. However, Southampton may point blank refuse to do Liverpool a £10m favour as they have already lost a whole host of their players to the Merseyside giants in years gone by.

Liverpool’s midfield came under fire time and time again last season, with Fabinho, Thiago and Jordan Henderson all struggling to hit top form.

Liverpool have raided Southampton for players on a string of occasions in the past, with the Reds’ record signing Virgil van Dijk moving from St Mary’s Stadium to Anfield for £75m at the start of 2018. The north west club had already taken Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne and Sadio Mane away from the Saints in the space of just two years between 2014 and 2016 and even went back in to land Danny Ings in 2019.

Football has a funny way of coming back to bite those involved in the game. And Southampton may force Liverpool to stump up the full £50m in exchange for Lavia, who featured 34 times for Southampton last season after joining the club from Manchester City last summer.