Liverpool will only pursue a summer deal for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia should he make clear that he wants to move to Anfield, according to reporter David Lynch.

Is Romeo Lavia leaving Southampton?

The Belgian international only arrived at St. Mary’s from Premier League rivals Manchester City last summer as he made 34 appearances during his debut season, and it’s fair to say that he was one of the standout stars in a struggling side under at the time manager Ruben Selles.

The Saints talisman established himself as the south coast outfit’s second best-performing defensive player, so despite his contract still having another four years to run, his impressive form has caught the eye of FSG and Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, The Redmen TV’s Ste Hoare recently claimed that the 19-year-old is a central target that’s “definitely on their radar” ahead of the upcoming window, and whilst that is true, the following update states that they are only willing to continue their chase on one condition.

Are Liverpool linked with Lavia?

According to Lynch in his column for Football Insider, Liverpool “need guarantees” that Lavia “only wants to join” them in order to carry on their pursuit in the coming weeks and months.

The Reds don’t want to be “dragged into a bidding war” with the likes of Chelsea and other unnamed top-flight clubs who are also interested, despite having held “contact” with the midfielder’s representatives, with the stiff competition meaning they will move only if Lavia wants to join.

Should Liverpool sign Lavia?

Southampton have reportedly placed a £45-50m price tag on Lavia’s head with Sport Republic desperately needing to raise funds after suffering relegation, but FSG should certainly consider testing the waters to see if an agreement could be reached at a fee slightly lower than their named price.

The Elite Project Group Ltd client, who Pep Guardiola believes has "incredible" potential, is strong in the natural aspect of his game, ranking in the 96th percentile for blocks and recorded a total of 60 tackles throughout the previous campaign, which was the third-highest in his squad, as per FBRef.

The Brussels native, who has the versatility to operate slightly higher up in central midfield, is also capable of contributing to efforts in the final third occasionally having scored one goal and provided an assist since arriving on the south coast, so for a player that can make a positive impact at both ends of the pitch, he could be a worthy investment.