Chelsea Football Club has announced the signing of midfielder Romeo Lavia from Southampton.
The 19-year-old has joined Chelsea on a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge and further strengthens Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.
“I’m really happy join Chelsea and be a part of this exciting project. It’s an amazing football club with a great history and I’m really excited to get started” Lavia said.
“I can’t wait to meet all my new team-mates and build a chemistry together to achieve great things together.”
Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: “We are very pleased to welcome Romeo to Chelsea. He demonstrated his quality in the Premier League last season at Southampton, showing maturity despite his young age, and is a player we have monitored for some time”.
“We believe he is ready to make an impact at Chelsea throughout the current campaign, and in the coming years.”
Lavia started his career with Anderlecht in his native Belgium and spent eight years with the club before joining Manchester City at the age of 16.
He impressed for the club’s Under-18s and Elite Development Squad and made his senior debut in September 2021. Lavia started in the EFL Cup against Wycombe Wanderers and helped his side to a 6-1 win.
Lavia made one further first-team appearance for City before completing a switch to Southampton last summer.
Lavia made 34 appearances for the Saints. He caught the eye with several impressive performances, including in a surprise Southampton victory at Stamford Bridge in February.
