Highlights: Watch Romeo Lavia all skills and goals full highlights which shows why Liverpool wants to sign the superstar

Highlights: Watch Romeo Lavia all skills and goals full highlights which shows why Liverpool wants to sign the superstar

Romeo Lavia is being eyed by both Liverpool and Chelsea as both teams look for midfield recruits, but they have been warned that a move to the Premier League is not guaranteed for the Southampton star

Liverpool and Chelsea have been warned that Romeo Lavia will not be available on the cheap after the Blues launched a bid to buy the midfielder.

Lavia is being eyed by both clubs as they look to upgrade their midfield options after he impressed with Southampton last season.

The Saints’ relegation from the Premier League has led to the vultures circling around St Mary’s Stadium.

So far, the Championship side have only sold Mislav Orsic, though more exits are likely to be on the way.

Lavia and James Ward-Prowse appear to be the most likely candidates to depart but sporting director Jason Wilcox has warned interested parties that they will have to pay up.

“I think when a club makes an offer, very rarely is it their full and final offer. If we get the right offer – we will consider it. Consider is an important word because we don’t have to sell, we’ve got a lot of asset value and it’s about how we rebuild the squad,” he said.

“There will be players that start the season for us but leave later in the window and it’s real tricky for the manager and players to deal with, for their families and agents as well. When there is transparency and honesty you can work through it.

“Every Championship club that has been relegated from the Premier League has this transition. If a club wants to take our players on the cheap and we feel as though we’re losing then that’s not a win-win agreement – there has to be a compromise.

“There will be situations where we say to players ‘I’m really sorry but the value is not there, you’re going to be with us in the Championship and have to generate your Premier League value’.

“I’ve got an idea of what the squad may look like but I’ve done six versions of that. If you could see my laptop now you’d see six versions of how the squad may look.”

Lavia only joined Southampton last summer, but enjoyed a fine campaign despite seeing his side suffer relegation. They will now attempt to regroup in the second tier under new boss Russell Martin.

But Martin himself has admitted he may be powerless to prevent the likes of Lavia from leaving for the Premier League. Chelsea and Liverpool are both battling to sign him, with Southampton’s season set to kick off next Friday.

“I hope I can convince some people to stay who were 50-50 about it,” Martin told BBC Radio Solent. “I think there will be some players who we can’t avoid [losing] who will be back in the Premier League.

“That’s the nature of the game and some of them will be far too attractive to Premier League teams and will want to go and play in the Premier League. You have to respect that.”