Roméo Lavia
Chelsea, 2023-
Chelsea have continued their lavish spending under Todd Boehly's ownership with the signing of Roméo Lavia for an initial £53m. It is nothing new to see big spending Premier League clubs raid Southampton, but that doesn't make it any easier for Saints fans when they lose a talent like Lavia. The Beligian was a rare bright spot in their difficult 2022/23 season, confirming his prodigious talent despite playing for a team that finished bottom of England’s top flight.
In 34 matches for Southampton he demonstrated that, while still a teenager, he was more than ready to be a starter at the top level. A Belgium debut against Germany in March 2023 offered further confirmation that Lavia, who turned 19 only two months earlier, possesses a football maturity beyond his years.
No less a judge than Pep Guardiola spotted his potential when he saw him play for Anderlecht’s Under-15s in 2018. It was no coincidence that, within two years, Lavia had signed for Manchester City. The then Anderlecht manager Vincent Kompany tried to convince him to stay, but as the club’s chief executive explained at the time: “The boy has a very strong character and wanted to take the career jump.”
Lavia was swiftly promoted from City's Under-18s to their Under-23s and, at 17, was named player of the season as Enzo Maresca led them to the 2020/21 Premier League 2 title. Guardiola gave him a first-team bow in the EFL Cup in the following campaign, but after managing one seven-minute cameo in the FA Cup, Lavia’s desire for regular senior football led him to Southampton in 2022, before Chelsea beat Liverpool to his signature in 2023.
Here, our coaching experts have analysed Lavia's style of play and other attributes that can take him to the top…
Technical analysis
Lavia is a right-footed defensive midfielder who is extremely aggressive when pressing the ball (below). In his desire to regain possession, he prioritises winning the ball over screening, covering or delaying. It’s a healthy attitude, but with experience he should achieve a better balance between attempted regains, and covering and delaying – especially in situations where it's unlikely that he’ll win the first contact.
That said, his assertive nature is a strength and his lunging tackles often dispossess opponents at the right moment. He tends to poke the ball away, which in larger spaces allows him to dominate physically and regain the ball. In more congested areas, this technique can require a teammate to land on the second phase.
His aggression in counter-pressing is another plus – especially in central midfield, where Lavia presses with intelligence in moments just after his team has lost possession. He can instigate or support the press, and is best when jumping forward, especially in transition. The Belgian can also cover wide areas when required.
In possession
Lavia’s weight of pass is impressive, especially when he plays forward, looking to break the last line (below). He works well in tandem with penetrative movements ahead, and has the ability to play balls into spaces higher up and in behind. He uses minimal backlift on through balls, catching opposing lines off guard if they expect a shorter pass. At the last moment, he will punch a pass powerfully through the lines. Although this pass hasn’t produced many assists for him, it has helped teammates to break lines and create chances.
Lavia is happy to dribble when immediate forward passes aren’t available. This is typically to evade pressure, rather than with the aim of beating a man to progress up the pitch. He will calmly spin, pivot and change direction on the ball (below), not too dissimilar to the likes of Sergio Busquets or Mateo Kovacic. This allows him to assess his options, react to any opposing press and search for the best pass. The main challenge for any midfielder is finding a balance between staying on the ball and progressing play off minimal touches – Lavia does this well.
He can also use his body to shield and protect possession when needed. He holds players off with upper-body strength while searching for a forward pass, using aggression to maintain possession against assertive opponents.
Double pivot
In the 2022/23 campaign at Southampton, Lavia played under three different head coaches – Ralph Hasenhüttl, Nathan Jones and Rubén Sellés. Under Hasenhüttl, he played alongside James Ward-Prowse in a 4-2-3-1 double pivot, or at the base of a box midfield. Dropping deeper, he connected the two centre-backs to advanced runners, as Hasenhüttl preferred a narrow attacking unit between the lines where possible (below). The width created by the advancing full-backs gave Lavia wide passing options if passes through or over the opposing block weren’t available.
He finished the season under the management of Sellés, mostly playing in a central-midfield pairing in a 4-4-2 structure. In possession, Sellés' team formed a similar shape and structure to that seen under Hasenhüttl. Out of possession, Lavia covered the wide areas when the full-backs advanced high up the pitch. He also jumped forward with purpose to support the press around Southampton’s two central forwards. When Southampton were in a more reserved, set defensive block, he would usually be the one to jump from midfield to instigate a press or squeeze up the pitch, aggressively hunting the ball.
Single pivot
Under Jones, Lavia was again used in a double pivot – but he also played as a single pivot at the centre of a three-man midfield in a 3-5-2. This gave him lots of forward runners and teammates ahead, via high wing-backs, two central forwards and two number eights (below).
With Ward-Prowse often drifting wide to find positions from which to cross, Lavia had room to roam – to his right side in particular – while also being the main pivot support ahead of the three centre-backs. With two central forwards occupying both opposing centre-backs, he had more chances to showcase his passing into front-line runners. He would often find the space between an opposing centre-back and full-back, picking out a centre-forward run bent outwards, or a wing-back rolling inside.
Out of possession in this system, he wasn't able to aggressively jump out as often. With a back three and wider centre-backs, Lavia covered into the back line, duelling much deeper. He also held his ground more when Southampton converted into a back five, as the number eights jumped forward to instigate a press. When this forced the ball wide and Southampton’s number eights followed, that would be his cue to jump out and press.
With enough game time at Stamford Bridge, he should improve still further as an imposing and capable midfield presence.
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