Transfer Talk: Blues failed with last-minute Lavia swoop

Chelsea failed with a £50million deadline day bid for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, it has emerged.

Lavia, 18, only joined the Saints in July from Manchester City for a fee of £12million but has impressed in his early outings at St Mary’s.

He notched a first goal for his new side in last Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over the Blues — a performance which clearly piqued the interest of Thomas Tuchel.

The Daily Echo suggest the hefty bid was lodged less than 24 hours after the full-time whistle in that contest, with the Hampshire outfit swiftly rejecting the approach.

A Belgian international, Lavia picked up a hamstring injury later in that Chelsea clash which will sideline him for around six weeks.

Former club City are reported to have a buy-back option inserted into his contract, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano previously suggesting £40m would see him return to the Etihad.

That may have complicated Chelsea’s plans further, with the Londoners eventually turning to Juventus’ Denis Zakaria instead.

Swiss international Zakaria, 25, arrives at Stamford Bridge initially on loan but there is an option to make the move permanent next summer.

Both Zakaria and fellow deadline day arrival Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were unavailable for their new side’s comeback 2-1 victory at West Ham yesterday.

In other news

Manchester United turned down the chance to sign in-demand Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo for just £4.5m only 18 months before he joined the Seagulls, say The Athletic.

Spanish media claim Arsenal bid £26m to bring Barcelona striker Ferran Torres back to the Premier League but the Catalonians opted to retain the 22-year-old.

Leeds are plotting a January move for Blackburn’s Chilean international Ben Brereton-Diaz, according to Football Insider.