ROMEO LAVIA left Southampton with a lot of potential and returned having realized it in a short space of time.
The Belgian and Chelsea may have had to wait a year due to injury, but now that he is fit there is no doubt that the youngster will fire.
In just eight Premier League appearances for the Blues this season, few in west London are in any doubt as to how far their new midfield metronome could go.
Everyone at Southampton, who signed the midfielder from Manchester City in 2022, knew they had a talent on their hands that may not be around for much longer.
If Chelsea had had their way, he would have only been at St. Mary's for a few more weeks. The Blues saw a £50million bid rejected less than three months after he joined Saints.
They got their man a year later and after another season of injury frustration in which Lavia played just 32 minutes of football, they are now reaping the rewards.
Chelsea's £206million midfield duo, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, dramatically underperformed last season and looked lost at times.
But the introduction of Lavia and his ability to stay fit has calmed them down and provided the platform for both to shine.
Initially, Fernandez was forced out of the squad in favor of Lavia, but he returned in recent weeks, scoring two goals in as many games.
Lavia, Caicedo and Fernandez all started together as Chelsea swept aside Aston Villa on Sunday, although Enzo Maresca had dropped the 20-year-old beforehand for the game against Leicester.
A challenge to show that there is more to come.
He said: “I certainly trust him but he didn't play away at Leicester so two games ago he was on the bench.
“I said then that just because he was on the bench doesn't mean he's not doing well. It was because the game plan changed for that match. We are very happy with Romeo.”
“Romeo is doing very well for us, but because I know him very well, he can do much better.
“He is a top player, but he is only 20 and still has a lot to improve.”
Lavia surpasses both his teammates when it comes to passing accuracy, including in the opponent's half, and interceptions.
The former Man City man has always considered himself the best midfielder and that solid foundation gives any partner alongside him the confidence to continue.
Teammates at Southampton quickly realized that despite being 18, Lavia's vision and understanding of the game matched that of hundreds of Premier League appearances.
Seniors who trained alongside him noticed how eager he was to learn and pick the brains of anyone he could borrow from.
And that's a list for such a short career, starting with Pep Guardiola, Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri in Manchester, where he also first met Maresca while at the academy.
The talent has always been there, but it has been a challenge until now to be able to showcase it.
As well as playing in a relegation side at Southampton, injury problems have been a constant on the south coast.
Theo Walcott, who played alongside him, revealed after his move to Chelsea that he “trained too much” for a young player, while Lavia has admitted it took him time to understand his body.
Lavia told SunSport last summer: “You are young and you want to play.
“You also get to know your body, which is sometimes unfair because you feel like you're doing everything right to come back, but nature sometimes decides differently.
“It was about understanding that and growing as a person. It was frustrating, but it was more in my head, and now it has helped me.”
During that time, Lavia leaned on compatriot and Chelsea great Eden Hazard for advice, while also trying to stay as close and connected to his new teammates at their training base in Cobham, even though he was unable to take part in the sessions.
For someone who sees themselves as a leader within any group, it has been a challenging year, but one that will undoubtedly bring long-term benefits.
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