GOOD NEWS: Arsenal ‘interested’ in signing £50m star admired by KDB at the Emirates

Arsenal may make a move for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia if they sell Thomas Partey this summer, journalist Fabrizio Romano has told Gunners247.

With David Ornstein reporting that the Gunners have finally reached a “total agreement” on a deal with West Ham United for Declan Rice, now may be the time that the club turn their focus to other potential signings.

Arsenal latest news – Romeo Lavia

Lavia made a total of 35 appearances for the Saints last season, as per Transfermarkt, and proped himself into the transfer plans of teams such as Arsenal in the process.

The Belgian, labelled as a ‘sensation’ by the Daily Echo, was also a huge factor as to why Southampton, despite finishing bottom of the Premier League, remained unbeaten against the Gunners last season, limiting the effectiveness of the Arsenal midfield in their 3-3 draw against the seaside club towards the end of the campaign.

His excellent displays led to praise from some of the best players in the league, with none other than Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne hailing the 19-year-old as a “very good” player and telling Play Sports: “If he continues his development, I think he’ll be a top player.”

It is perhaps for that reason that Arsenal, despite his reported £50 million asking price, are considering signing Lavia if current midfielder Partey were to leave the club this summer.

What did Fabrizio Romano say about Romeo Lavia and Arsenal?
Romano explained that Arsenal’s interest in Lavia is real and that the Gunners could look to sign him if Partey leaves the club this summer.

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, Romano said: “If Thomas [Partey] leaves I think this could be a possibility for Arsenal to go for a new midfielder, so let’s see. For Romeo Lavia, they are interested for sure, but they never made any bids because again, it depends on Thomas.”

Why Romeo Lavia could be a perfect fit for Arsenal
With Rice expected to join the Gunners, a replacement for Partey would likely be faced with the issue of limited playing time. Therefore, the ideal candidate for that role would be a young player, with the potential to improve and learn from those already at the club. In that sense, signing Lavia would be a smart acquisition.

Given his age, the Belgian would also provide Mikel Arteta with a near-blank canvas on which he could develop Lavia into a specific type of midfielder that perfectly suits his system.

At this current moment in time, he is largely considered to be a deep-lying midfielder, but Arteta may be able to add a more progressive element to his game.

Finally, Lavia would also represent a far cheaper option than players such as Moises Caicedo, who will reportedly cost at least £70 million, and given the huge £105 million fee the Gunners have agreed for Rice, their budget may not be able to stretch that far.

As Romano explained, however, any move from Arsenal for Lavia will likely be based on whether Partey leaves the club before the transfer window slams shut.