CHELSEA have waited a long time to see the best of Romeo Lavia — not least because of last season’s injury nightmare.
The Blues were ready to splash out £50million for the Belgian midfielder just five games after he joined Southampton two years ago.
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That approach, which came after he had scored against Chelsea, was knocked back — but they got their man 12 months later.
The wait to see Lavia make an impact has gone on another 12 months, however, because ankle and hamstring injuries restricted him to just 32 minutes of football last term.
Speaking at the end of pre-season, during which he has arguably been Chelsea’s best player, 20-year-old Lavia said: “It will be my first proper season.
“Last year was very frustrating because it was hard.
“You’re young and you want to play. You’re getting to know your body as well, which is sometimes unfair because you feel like you’re doing everything right to get back but the nature sometimes decides in a different way.
“It was just about understanding that and growing as a person.
“It was frustrating but it was more in the head and now it has helped me.”
Chelsea chased Lavia for over a year before he moved to Stamford Bridge for £53m, though they had to steal him from under Liverpool’s noses.
He said: “The interest from Liverpool was there but in my head I wanted to play for Chelsea.
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“When I heard about Chelsea, and it was from a long time ago before everything started, it was a no-brainer.”
Joining Chelsea does not seem a no-brainer right now, with over a billion spent and managers being burned through under their American ownership.
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- Raheem Sterling – £47.5m
- Kalidou Koulibaly £33m
- Gabriel Slonina – £8m
- Carney Chukweumeka – £20m
- Marc Cucurella – £57.5m
- Cesare Casadei – £13.3m
- Wesley Fofana – £70m
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – £10.3m
- Denis Zakaria – £2.7m (Loan fee)
- David Datro Fofana – £10.6m
- Benoit Badiashile – £33.7m
- Andre Santos – £11.1m
- Joao Felix – £9.7m (Loan fee)
- Mykhailo Mudryk – £62m
- Noni Madueke – £30m
- Malo Gusto – £26.75m
- Enzo Fernandez – £107.8m
- Christopher Nkunku – £52m
- Diego Moreira – FREE
- Nicolas Jackson – £31.5m
- Angelo Gabriel – £13m
- Lesley Ugochukwu – £23.3m
- Axel Disasi – £38.9m
- Robert Sanchez – £20m
- Moises Caicedo – £100m
- Romeo Lavia – £53.2m
- Deivid Washington – £13.7m
- Cole Palmer – £40.1m
- Djordje Petrovic – £13.6m
- Tosin Adarabioyo – FREE
- Marc Guiu – £5.1m
- Caleb Wiley – £8.63m
- Renato Veiga – £12m
- Aarón Anselmino – £14m
- Omari Kellyman – £19.2m
- Filip Jorgensen – £21m
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – £30.2m
- Pedro Neto – £54m
But despite the Blues managing just one win in six pre-season games — against Mexican side Club America — Lavia insists it was an obvious choice.
He added: “If you look at all the teams, Chelsea is the one that is growing.
“Even though the results are not going that well, you can see the bigger picture. When I saw a group of young and talented players, that at their previous clubs had been the best players, it can only go well.
“Now I’m here, I realise it’s true. We are building something amazing.
“Everyone at the club can feel it, not just the players but everyone.”
There is some convincing to do on that front but Lavia does know a good set-up when he sees one having spent two years at Manchester City, training under Pep Guardiola at times.
And the Belgium international is hoping for a first Premier League start for Chelsea against his old club on Sunday.
Asked about working under the Spaniard, Lavia said: “Special. It is a massive experience because you get to know about all of the details in football that make a difference.
“From the outside you probably don’t see it. You probably see it as players passing the ball around but there’s more than that. It is the details that make the difference.
“He would definitely help me with putting my body shape in the side position to get the ball and make a whole difference.”
Lavia joined the City set-up during the pandemic and his mum was never able to watch him play for the club.
Add that to an injury-hit season in which he was relegated at Southampton before missing almost all of last year, there have been a few rough moments.
He said: “A few hard times. But I take all the hard times in a positive way.
“I left my home country to move to England during Covid. My mum never watched a game of me at Man City.
“That’s to tell you how hard it was but I never really complained because I knew what I was getting into, the same in every decision I’ve made.
“It’s never been a problem, even with the injuries last season. It was tough but what can you do? Turn it into a positive.”
Lavia’s family have been able to see him play now, having supported him through the last year — alongside a Chelsea legend.
He spoke to fellow Belgian Eden Hazard before joining and kept in touch with him through the season.
Lavia said: “He’s a great guy and like a big brother to me. Whenever I need advice, I go to him.”
