Paul Machin has said that Romeo Lavia has ‘made a mistake’ by joining Chelsea instead of Liverpool and believes the midfielder could have regrets over that decision.
The Reds were hotly linked with the 19-year-old for most of the summer transfer window but, similar to Moises Caicedo, ended up being snubbed by the Belgian, who instead left Southampton for Stamford Bridge in a £58m deal (Sky Sports).
However, an ongoing ankle injury has prevented him from making his debut for the Blues, who prior to winning twice in the past week had been languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.
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Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Machin described Lavia as a ‘talented’ player but insists that Chelsea paid over the odds for him, adding that Liverpool won’t have lost any sleep from failing to sign him.
The Redmen TV presenter said: “I think everyone who chose to sign for Chelsea in the last 18 months has made a mistake. Lavia is the least high-profile of those, to be honest.
“He has made a mistake because, ultimately, if he wanted to play football, going to Chelsea after they had just broken the British transfer record by signing a defensive midfielder in Moises Caicedo didn’t seem like the smartest move.
“That club is a mess. Chelsea is an absolute mess of a football club from top to bottom right now. It’s a shame for Lavia because he is a talented boy, but he was overpriced for where he was in his development. He’s made a mistake joining Chelsea, but it’s actually probably been to Liverpool’s benefit.”
As with Caicedo – who cost the Blues £115m (The Times) – Lavia’s decision to snub Liverpool felt like a hammer blow at a time when the Reds were desperately seeking to bring in a defensive midfielder.
However, the subsequent signings of Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch – who between them cost slightly less than the Belgian – enabled Jurgen Klopp to tick that box before the summer transfer deadline, with the Dutchman quickly making a big impression at Anfield.
Machin is right in saying that Lavia was ‘overpriced’, with Southampton rejecting three bids from Anfield as they repeatedly sought £50m+ for a player who only has one season of regular senior football to his name, one which saw him stand out for a team which finished bottom of the Premier League.
The 19-year-old could yet go on to excel at Chelsea, but had Liverpool succeeded in their pursuit of him, it seems most unlikely that they’d have gone for Gravenberch.
While admittedly both players are in the early weeks of their time at their respective clubs, the signs so far point towards the Reds getting much the better deal.
Despite the initial frustration of missing out on Lavia, the Anfield hierarchy will probably be thankful over how their midfielder search ultimately transpired.
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