Arsenal could be set to identify an alternative to Declan Rice, having been pushed back in their pursuit with a new competitor having emerged…
What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Arsenal?
That's according to The Guardian, who suggest that the Gunners retain their interest in Southampton's young midfield general Romeo Lavia, alongside top-flight rivals Chelsea.
Having been relegated from the Premier League, his future on the south coast has been thrown into doubt. With Manchester City retaining their £40m buy-back clause, though it remains to be seen how much the Saints will actually charge should others come in.
However, the necessity for this pursuit comes following their rejected bid to sign their top target in Rice, to which David Ornstein recently revealed: "Man City now actively exploring own approach for 24yo".
Gunners chief Edu Gaspar and manager Mikel Arteta must either act quickly or move on to their other targets, and the 19-year-old presents an intriguing candidate.
Is Romeo Lavia as good as Declan Rice?
Coincidentally, although on paper the two are worlds apart in terms of quality, the youth and room for growth that the teenage sensation boasts makes him a similarly intelligent investment akin to the 24-year-old star.
After all, for what has been his first full season in senior football, Lavia has shone for a very poor outfit.
Recording a 6.80 average rating in the league, the Belgian maintained an 86% pass accuracy and a 68% dribble success rate, alongside 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game, via Sofascore. He was a calming presence in possession, and a tenacious tackler when trying to win it back, with journalist Benjy Nurick even branding him a "monster".
Whilst Rice showcases more of an all-around skillset, his experience at the top of the game is shoulders above his potential alternative. In good time, surrounded by the top squad that Arteta has created, his evolution would surely be fast-tracked.
The England international managed 2.1 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the Premier League, yet added one key pass per game and six goal contributions into the mix, via Sofascore. He is clearly the better player now, but for the £100m-plus touted fee, the value could be debated.
With Pep Guardiola having entered the fold to secure his services, his title-winning and trophy-laden pedigree is often a pull impossible to resist. To move to the Etihad is to ensure a vast trophy haul, and Rice would surely be an important cog in their system too.
However, it falls to whether the West Ham United captain wants to join a side already at the top or forge a dynasty that could topple such perfection.
If he chooses the former, then Lavia still represents a fine alternative for the Gunners to target, given the evidence above.