Chelsea are reportedly on the verge of reaching an agreement for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.
The Blues are keen to strengthen their midfield following the departures of Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mateo Kovacic.
Mauricio Pochettino's side are currently pursuing a deal for Lavia, who is also being linked with a move to Liverpool.
The Reds have already had three offers turned down for the former Manchester City youngster, including their latest bid worth £45m.
Liverpool's failure to agree a deal presented Chelsea with an opportunity to outbid their Premier League rivals with an offer of £48m.
According to Sky Sports News, Chelsea are now close to agreeing a deal with Southampton for the Belgium international.
Talks are still ongoing between the two clubs, with the Saints believed to be holding firm on their £50m asking price.
Lavia, who joined Southampton last summer, was one of the brightest players in a disappointing 2022-23 campaign for the South-coast club.
The defensive midfielder made 35 competitive appearances, chipping in with one goal and one assist, but he was unable to prevent the Saints from slipping down to the Championship.
With Chelsea looking to sign two midfielders, they are also battling Liverpool for the services of Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo.
The Blues have been reluctant to meet Brighton's £100m asking price for the majority of the summer transfer window, and their hopes of striking a deal received a blow on Friday morning when it emerged that Liverpool had agreed to a £110m transfer.
However, Chelsea have reportedly bettered Liverpool's proposal and are currently in negotiations with the Seagulls over a deal believed to be worth £115m.
Caicedo has seemingly made it clear that his preference would be to join Chelsea, leaving Liverpool to consider walking away from a potential transfer.
As the two sides continue to duel in the transfer market, Chelsea and Liverpool will commence battle on the pitch when they face off at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. body check tags ::
