Barcelona were interested in Premier League midfielder, but baulked at £50 million valuation

Barcelona have come across several options in their bid to replace Sergio Busquets this summer. The club have been linked with top-quality options such as Joshua Kimmich and Martin Zubimendi.

At the same time, they are also exploring short-term and cost-effective alternatives such as La Masia graduate Oriol Romeu, who is expected to cost only €8 million this summer.

Another name has now come up in Barcelona’s bid to sign a new defensive midfielder this summer. According to Florian Plettenberg, Barcelona were among the clubs interested in the services of Romeo Lavia.

The Southampton youngster has become one of the rising stars in the Premier League, thanks to his performances this past season. He featured in 29 league matches for the club, playing a key role in the team’s midfield unit. Lavia’s success even led to his maiden call-up to the Belgian national team earlier this year.

As per Plettenberg, Barcelona, along with many other top clubs across Europe, were targeting a move for Lavia this summer. However, the Catalans backed out from the chase, as the youngster was set to cost a fortune.

Plettenberg claims Lavia is set to cost around £50 million this summer, which is in the similar range to Barcelona’s other top targets including Zubimendi.

While Barça might have backed out from the chase, Lavia’s future is far from resolved. The Southampton starlet continues to attract widespread interest, with Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool among the clubs in talks with the midfielder.

As for Barcelona, it appears the Blaugrana have no choice but to settle for a low-cost option this summer, in light of their economic difficulties. The club are likely to sign a short-term solution for now, before potentially splurging on a long-term option next year.