Liverpool transfer: Improved bid for Lavia expected after £40m offer rejected

Liverpool are expected to go back in with an improved offer for Romeo Lavia after having a bid worth £40m rejected for the midfielder by Southampton.

The Saints are understood to be holding out for £50m for the 19-year-old.

Chelsea are also interested and keeping an eye on his situation.

The Blues have not made an official bid yet, but Sky Sports News understands personal terms with both Liverpool and Chelsea are not expected to be a problem.

Lavia, who played 45 minutes of Southampton's pre-season friendly defeat to Bournemouth last night, has four years left on his contract.

The Belgium international joined from Manchester City last summer, but is expected to leave after Saints were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season.

Jurgen Klopp has already brought in two new midfielders this summer after the arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton in a £35m deal, followed by that of Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig for £60m.

Those new signings have replaced departing midfielders James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, while captain Jordan Henderson and Brazil international Fabinho could also leave Anfield this summer.

Both Henderson and Fabinho are in the process of securing moves to Saudi Arabia.

Liverpool have agreed a £15m deal with Steven Gerrard's Al Ettifaq for Henderson while Fabinho has been given permission to speak to Al Ittihad after the Merseyside club accepted a £40m offer for him.

Henderson says goodbyes ahead of Al Ettifaq move

Jordan Henderson has said goodbye to his Liverpool team-mates, and should be confirmed as an Al Ettifaq player by the end of the week.

Henderson's controversial transfer to Saudi Arabia's Pro League comes with a fee worth around £13m, and will bring his 12-year Anfield career to an end. He has won seven major trophies in that time.

The Liverpool captain sought clarity from Jurgen Klopp over how much game time he would get with the Reds next season, before making his decision to leave.

After joining the Liverpool squad for their pre-season training camp in Germany, Henderson was left out of the opening friendly against Karlsruher last week, and said farewell to his team-mates before returning home to undergo a medical and finalise the move.

The final legal details of his lucrative new Al Ettifaq contract are expected to be completed in the next 24 hours.

The Saudi Pro League side, now managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, are so determined to land the England international they have proposed more than tripling his £200,000-a-week salary.