Roméo Lavia

Roméo Lavia is a Belgian defensive midfielder born in Brussels on 6 January 2004. He developed at Anderlecht’s Neerpede academy before joining Manchester City in 2020, where he progressed from the under-18s to the under-23s. Lavia won the 2020/21 Premier League 2 title with City’s Elite Development Squad and made his senior debut in a 6–1 EFL Cup victory over Wycombe Wanderers in September 2021. In July 2022, he moved to Southampton for regular first-team football, and he scored against Chelsea that August in the Premier League. After Southampton’s relegation, Chelsea signed Lavia in August 2023. Roméo Lavia made his Belgium senior debut in a 3–2 friendly win over Germany in March 2023, having represented the country through the youth ranks. At Chelsea, he is valued for receiving under pressure, recovering possession and playing progressive passes from the base of midfield.