Chelsea have undergone a painful 2022/23 campaign so far, winning just 11 games this season with only four remaining to play.
Frank Lampard has had a tough run since filling in for the dismissed Graham Potter, who survived just six months in a job that saw a lot of change in such a short period of time.
The club signed eight new players in January in the bid to improve their form, spending a record-breaking amount in the process in a winter window that arguably broke the market.
With chances of European football gone, next season will be one of a rebuild for the Blues, and a chance to properly integrate the winter additions who signed at a time of chaos.
Chelsea have been linked with a number of moves ahead of the summer transfer window, including Neymar which has indicated that the west Londoners are far from finished when it comes to spending big.
A more reasonable transfer target has also been highlighted, with a Premier League midfielder capturing the eye of the Blues.
What’s the latest on Romeo Lavia to Chelsea?
Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia has been a standout player in the Championship-bound squad this season.
At just 19 years of age, the Belgian has dictated play in the engine room, making 25 league appearances for the Saints since signing from Manchester City’s academy last summer.
Football Insider reported late last month that Chelsea had Lavia at the “top” of their summer wishlist, with the player being valued at £45m by his current club.
Liverpool and Arsenal have also reportedly expressed an interest in the midfielder, making him one to watch in terms of his next destination this summer.
What could Romeo Lavia bring to Chelsea?
Pep Guardiola admitted the midfielder has "really impressed" him since making the move, which is just the start of the praise that the youngster has received in his first senior season in a tough scenario.
The teenager has an average Sofascore match rating of 6.85 this term, ranking him in the top ten performers in his team.
Hailed by Premier League legend Rio Ferdinand on BT Sport, the former Manchester United man described Lavia as a player that can do "both sides of the game."
Ferdinand explained that he is “equally good defensively but also once he is on the ball he has tremendous feet and can pass.”
The six-time Premier League winner is not wrong in his praise for the youngster, who maintains a successful pass rate of 86.1% for the struggling Saints.
His presence in midfield is shown defensively too, with him being among the top 9% of players in his position in Europe’s top 5 leagues for making blocks this season, highlighting his innate reading of the game and ability to react quickly to what's going on around him.
The signing of Lavia could open doors for Enzo Fernandez, who has struggled to implement his full potential since his record-breaking arrival in west London in January, registering just two assists in 14 league outings.
The £106.8m midfielder has all the keys to unlock his potential at Stamford Bridge, but would benefit from a long-term ball-playing defensive partner in midfield, as he did at Benfica with Florentino Luiz, who was described as a midfield "anchor." That's precisely the role Lavia could take up next to the Argentine maestro should he sign.
At just 22 years old himself, Chelsea could find themselves with a midfield partnership for many years to come should they get the Lavia deal over the line. It’s a deal that could benefit far more than just the Belgian teen, but the world's most expensive player also.
