Chelsea have made a £48m bid for Romeo Lavia and talks with Southampton could accelerate in the next 24 hours.
While the offer is expected to be rejected as Southampton hold out for their £50m valuation, it comes close enough that talks between the clubs could continue.
Liverpool have seen three bids for Lavia rejected so far this summer, the latest of which was worth around £45m.
Chelsea want to sign two midfielders before the transfer window closes at the end of the month and have also bid for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo and Leeds’ Tyler Adams.
Lavia has four years left on his Southampton contract after joining from Manchester City last summer.
However, the Belgium international is expected to leave after Saints were relegated from the Premier League last season.
Lavia did not come off the bench during Southampton’s win over Sheffield Wednesday on the opening weekend of the season, while he was not named in the squad for the Carabao Cup defeat at Gillingham on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse is set for a medical at West Ham after the clubs reached a full agreement.
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