Forget Klich: Leeds are "interested" in "aggressive" 18 y/o gem, Marsch will love him - opinion

Leeds United have been linked with a move for Romeo Lavia this week…

That’s according to The Athletic’s Dan Sheldon, who delivered the transfer claim via Twitter.

He said: “Excl: Southampton and Leeds are interested in Manchester City midfielder Romeo Lavia. He made his senior debut last season & is thought to be one of the most talented young players in his position.”

It remains to be seen how much the 18-year-old gem would command but the Yorkshire side are facing stiff competition from Premier League rivals Southampton.

Lavia is thought to be a hugely-talented holding midfielder, one who could one day cut it in the champions’ first-team squad, but Pep Guardiola’s side may not be able to refuse a fee at this stage with so many other options ahead of him right now.

The Belgium-born teenager has certainly impressed in the academy ranks, even catching the eye of former City centre-back and skipper Vincent Kompany.

“When Romeo was still training here with the A-squad, he showed he was very eager to learn and willing to listen. He picked up a lot and showed that he is aggressive in recovering the ball and while also being calm on the ball,” the new Burnley manager said (via Inside Futbol).

Whilst he has featured twice for the senior side, Lavia has racked up 58 appearances across the U18s, U19s and U23s at the Etihad Stadium, as per Transfermarkt.

One of those first-team matches saw the Manchester Evening News compare him to the departing Fernandinho, writing: “[He] clearly likes a tackle, and his passes over the top and through the lines were Fernandinho-esque”.

The “highly rated” gem would surely be a perfect fit for Leeds manager Jesse Marsch, and potentially a long-term upgrade to the engine room, where the likes of