RETIRED Premier League ace Alan Hutton says Manchester City will “bide their time” when it comes to re-signing now-Saints talent Romeo Lavia.
The 18-year-old midfielder arrived at St Mary’s this summer in a deal costing around £12million, despite having never played a Premier League game.
However, five matches and a first senior goal, versus Chelsea, was enough to persuade London’s Blues to table a £50million deadline day proposal for Lavia, the Daily Echo understands.
Saints rejected the proposal with no intention of selling the future star just seven weeks after they purchased him in the first place.
City have retained a buy-back clause in all four of the youngsters they sold to Saints this summer, guaranteeing a significant profit at Staplewood if they are actioned.
Former Spurs and Aston Villa defender Hutton thinks City will be patient on that clause, which activates next summer, and wait for the right moment to resign him.
“They might (bring him back), that’s why they put (the deal) in there," Hutton told Football Insider.
"They obviously see the potential the boy’s got. He wasn’t ready for the City team, but they see that he possibly could be in the years to come.
"They will just bide their time and see how he develops and if it’s right for City and the player then he’ll go back.”
Lavia, who is currently nursing a muscle injury and is set to be out up to mid-October, just may return to face his former side next month.
Saints travel to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, October 8 (3PM), which could be Lavia’s first back to fitness if he progresses quickly.
However, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl indicated he is under no rush to overload the young players, with Lavia pulling up versus Chelsea after Saturday-Tuesday games serving as his warning.
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