Liverpool have Chelsea to thank for dodging £50m bullet as former transfer target injured again

Liverpool have the last laugh after £58m transfer collapse as 'very ashamed' comment made

Liverpool having their accepted offer for Romeo Lavia hijacked by Chelsea in the 2023 summer transfer window has turned out rather well for the Reds two years later

Romeo Lavia hobbled off just ten minutes into Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Qarabag as the former Liverpool target's injury woes continue to derail his career. The midfielder has now suffered seven separate injuries since his move from Southampton just over two years ago.

Liverpool had a bid accepted by the Saints that same summer, as confirmed by their director of football, Jason Wilcox, at a supporters' forum. But in the now Manchester United executive's own words: "then Chelsea came to the table."

The Reds subsequently switched their attention to Moises Caicedo, striking an agreement with Brighton and Hove Albion, only to be gazumped once more by the west London outfit. Two years later, Caicedo entered the action as a substitute in Baku to take the place of his stricken colleague.

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Lavia has managed merely 30 outings for Chelsea. That represents 83 fewer than the Ecuador international who put pen to paper days after his midfield colleague.

The £58m signing has also never seen out a complete 90 minutes in any fixture for the club, something he achieved 14 times during his season-long spell at Southampton. In total, Lavia has been absent for 77 matches at Chelsea, which amounts to 502 days, or 71 weeks, or 61.8 per cent of the period since his arrival.

His hamstrings have primarily been the culprit, although an ankle setback was the initial problem that struck him down. Head coach Enzo Maresca believes the most recent issue is a quad injury.

"We feel very ashamed," the Chelsea boss has admitted. "Especially for him, because he's not able to be fit for a long, long period. We will see now, as it's too early to understand what kind of injury; hopefully, it's not a big injury."

Luckily for Chelsea, they've been able to count on Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez during his spell on the sidelines. Andrey Santos' seamless transition into the squad, featuring from the start alongside Lavia in the clash with Qarabag, has also provided valuable cover in the middle of the park.

Meanwhile, Liverpool secured Ryan Gravenberch after failing to land the former Belgium international. After a modest first campaign under Jurgen Klopp, Arne Slot's arrival saw him earn a spot in the PFA Team of the Year and claim the Premier League Young Player of the Season accolade last season.

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