Liverpool's hopes of signing Romeo Lavia have been given a boost after the Southampton midfielder was an unused substitute in their Championship opener against Sheffield Wednesday.
The talented 19-year-old has been courted by a host of top-flight clubs after Southampton lost their Premier League status at the end of last season.
Lavia has emerged as a top target for Liverpool, who have already seen two bids rejected for the Belgian ace. However, Southampton have decided against including Lavia in their team to face Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night - an indicator that an agreement could still be on the cards.
Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse has also been linked with a move away, but new Saints boss Russell Martin was adamant that both he and Lavia would be involved in the club's opening game of the season. Unlike Lavia, Ward-Prowse was named in the Saints' starting XI.
“Both will be involved tomorrow night as it stands, I don’t know if anything will change between now and then,” Martin said in his pre-match press conference.
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“Do I think they will be Southampton players by the end of the window? I have not got a clue. What I hope and what I think are probably very different.
“However, it would be pointless to come out and say I think they’ll be here or I don’t because ultimately I have no control over that really. If they’re both not here at some point or one of them isn’t it will be because the club and the player have both had something that is beneficial for everyone.
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Southampton are reluctant to lose Lavia, who has been the subject of bids from Liverpool (Getty Images)“I think that’s why it has dragged on so long so far and I think it might continue to drag on, but both of them while they have been here have been great, at very different stages of their career.”
Liverpool's most recent offer for Lavia, which was lodged earlier this week, was worth around £41million including add-ons and bonuses.
However, that figure is some way short of the £50m sum that Southampton value Lavia at. The teenager only arrived on the south coast last summer from Manchester City.
Liverpool are in need of further midfield reinforcements after club captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho were both lured to the Saudi Pro League by Al-Ettifaq and Al-Ittihad respectively.
The Reds always had plans to overhaul their engine room this summer and had signed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai before losing two of Klopp's first-choice midfield trio.
It remains to be seen if Liverpool will return with a third offer for Lavia before September's transfer deadline or whether Jurgen Klopp and co will turn elsewhere.
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