CHELSEA have struck the front in the battle to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.
That's according to bookmakers Betfair, who have installed Mauricio Pochettino's side as frontrunners ahead of Liverpool for his signature.
The Reds spent the majority of the summer as favourites for Lavia having sold midfield duo Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabian clubs for a combined £52million.
But they have now drifted to 10/11 despite reports they've agreed a deal worth £60million for the highly-rated Belgian international.
With a payment structure now in place, Liverpool must still convince Lavia to join with the 19-year-old reportedly preferring Chelsea.
Premier League odds and betting tips
That's perhaps why the Blues are odds-on 17/20 to get their man.
This isn't the first time Chelsea and Liverpool have tussled over a player, and it's not even the first time this window with the pair slugging it out for Brighton's Moises Caicedo.
Liverpool agreed a £111m deal for the 21-year-old Ecuador player on Friday, but Chelsea swooped in with a bid of £115m at the 11th-hour.
The fee means Chelsea will break the British record twice in 2023, following the £107m arrival of Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez in January.
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