CHELSEA made a £50million proposal for Saints midfielder Romeo Lavia on deadline day.

Thomas Tuchel watched on as the 18-year-old, who had only signed for Saints in July, scored his first Premier League goal during a 2-1 win over the Blues on Tuesday.

Belgian youth international Lavia was signed from Manchester City for a fee of £12million, and has impressed in his first five league appearances.

Lavia is now set for up to a six-week spell on the sidelines after picking up a muscle injury in the second-half of that clash with Chelsea.

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Saints rejected the proposal on the same day they made four signings of their own, while City retain a buy-back option on the youngster.

“I just came to kind of get experience and I’m getting the chance, I’m trying to give it back to the manager because he trusts me, so from my side I have to prove the manager is correct,” Lavia said in a recent interview, speaking to the Daily Echo.

Lavia could return from injury in mid-October, with Saints playing for a further month before the five-week international break due to the winter World Cup.

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