Chelsea
are close to an agreement with Southampton over the signing of midfielder
Romeo Lavia but Liverpool remain interested in the Belgian.
Sky Sports News has been told Chelsea remain in talks with Southampton on
Friday night with the south coast club thought to be holding firm on their
£50m valuation.
The Blues made a £48m bid earlier this week, while Liverpool have seen three
offers turned down this summer - the latest of which was worth £45m.
Jurgen Klopp's side are expected to hold more talks with Saints over a deal
for the 19-year-old.
Liverpool and Chelsea are also vying for the signature of Brighton
midfielder Moises Caicedo.
Chelsea want to bring in two midfielders in this window and one source has
told Sky Sports News they are interested in signing both Caicedo and Lavia.
The developments come on the day talks between Chelsea and Leeds United over
the signing of Tyler Adams broke down after the parties were unable to reach
an agreement.
Lavia has four years left on his Southampton contract after joining from
Manchester City last summer but is expected to leave after Saints were
relegated from the Premier League last season.
The Belgium international did not come off the bench during Southampton's
win over Sheffield Wednesday on the opening weekend of the season, while he
was not named in the squad for the Carabao Cup defeat at Gillingham on
Tuesday.
Caicedo wants to join Chelsea despite
Liverpool making British-record £111m bid
Caicedo has seemingly rejected the chance to join Liverpool and wants to
move to Chelsea, despite the Reds agreeing a British-record £111m fee with
Brighton.
Liverpool's offer was accepted by Brighton after a midnight deadline for
bids for the midfielder was set on Thursday. It is understood Chelsea were
prepared to go to £100m for the player, and Bayern Munich were prepared to
pay £90m.
However, although Caicedo was expected to travel to Liverpool for a medical
on Friday, he had a change of heart and told the Reds he didn't want to
join.
He remains in London and has made it clear he only wants to leave Brighton
for Chelsea, who have been pursuing him all summer.
Chelsea are yet to offer a new improved bid, and it remains to be seen
whether they will.
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