Liverpool edging closer to deal for Championship midfielder

Liverpool continue their pre-season preparations with a friendly against German side SpVgg Greuther Furth on Monday. 

Last time out, the Reds beat fellow German side Karlsruher 4-2, with Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota on the scoresheet.

Manager Jurgen Klopp will be keen for his side to continue building momentum ahead of the new Premier League season, as they bid to improve on last term and finish in the top four.

In the meantime, though, it appears that the Merseyside outfit are closing in on the signing of a Championship player.

As per Football Insider, the Reds are making progress in their efforts to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.

The report claims that Liverpool remain in contact with the Saints and are hopeful that a deal can be agreed by the end of July.

Lavia remains a target for Liverpool this summer

Lavia, 19, joined Southampton from Manchester City last summer and enjoyed a superb debut season on the south coast.

The Belgian made 34 appearances across all competitions, but was unable to prevent the club from being relegated to the second tier.

At present, the teenager is contracted to his current club until 2027, but Liverpool are hopeful of agreeing a deal and prising the player away from St. Mary’s.

Lavia is also said to have attracted interest from some other big Premier League clubs, including Chelsea and Arsenal, while former side Manchester City are believed to have included a buy-back clause in the deal last summer.

Liverpool have already lost James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer, while Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are also expected to depart in the coming weeks.

The Reds have signed both Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but it appears that Klopp is keen to bolster his midfield options even further ahead of the new season.

Lavia is reportedly keen to make the move to Anfield, although it remains to be seen whether or not Southampton will allow one of their most important players to leave this summer.