Romeo Lavia says he is excited to join the ‘project’ at Chelsea after completing his £58m move to the club from Southampton.
Chelsea have confirmed the signing of the teenager from Southampton with Lavia having signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
The 19-year-old arrives in west London after an encouraging season at Southampton, a campaign which saw Lavia make his debut for the Belgium national side in March.
The midfielder admits he can’t wait to get started at Chelsea and has praised the Blues as ‘an amazing football club with a great history’.
“I’m really happy join Chelsea and be a part of this exciting project. It’s an amazing football club with a great history and I’m really excited to get started,” Lavia told the club’s official website.
“I can’t wait to meet all my new team-mates and build a chemistry together to achieve great things together.”
Lavia becomes Chelsea’s eighth signing of the summer transfer window and takes the club’s spending north of £325m. The midfielder turned down interest from Liverpool to sign for Chelsea and has opened up on the factors behind his decision.
“Three factors determined my decision,” he said.
“The project and the ambitions of the club were key factors in me choosing Chelsea, but also the history behind the club. It’s really exciting to be a part of this football club and to write some history.
“I’m really happy and proud. It’s a privilege to be able to put on this shirt. Most of the players we’ve signed are players I’ve played against, and thought ‘ooooof, these players are good’, so to be able to work with them is a great feeling.
“They are young players and good players, so it will be good to make each other better. That’s the only way to succeed.”
