Since Romeo Lavia’s arrival at Manchester City as a 16-year old prospect from the RSC Anderlecht youth set-up in the summer of 2020, the starlet midfielder has been touted as a future defensive midfielder for years to come at the Etihad Stadium.
The gifted Belgian youth international, who has previously cited club legend Fernandinho as his personal idol, has often been compared to the former Brazilian international for possessing a unique blend of being a tough-tackler as well as an excellent passer.
As the young Lavia shone as the lone number six in a rare start as part of a heavily rotated Manchester City side in a 6-1 thrashing of Wycombe in the Carabao Cup last season, it seemed as if Pep Guardiola was planning to slowly but surely incorporate him into the first-team set up.
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However, the highly-touted prospect went on to come on a substitute for just a seven-minute spell against Swindon in the FA Cup since, which could be a sign that his immediate progression from a senior team perspective looks uncertain due to the hot competition for places at the Etihad Stadium.
With several reports claiming that Manchester City have been chasing Leeds United midfielder, Kalvin Phillips’ signature as the understudy to Rodri in the summer, things do not seem on the up when it comes to Romeo Lavia’s chances of being a first-team player at the club in the immediate.
As the Brussels-born talent continues to wait in the wings for his big break, the reasons behind why he is yet to become an established senior player have been revealed.
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According to a report by The Athletic, the feeling at Manchester City is that Romeo Lavia is 'not quite ready’ to step up to the first-team at the club and compete with Spanish international and starting XI mainstay Rodri for a place in the line-up.
While some may be perturbed by the prodigious youngster not being thrown into the deep end, it is also key to remember the incredible standards set by Romeo Lavia’s potential competitor in Rodri at the present moment. The former Atletico Madrid man has arguably been the best defensive midfielder in Europe since last season - a sign of the standards required to make the cut in Pep Guardiola’s side.
In addition, the Sky Blues are always under the microscope to lift multiple trophies season after season, which indicates that players need to belong to the upper echelon in order to be considered as first-team regulars at the Etihad Stadium.
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Much like how Phil Foden was integrated into the Manchester City senior team gradually before becoming a vital part of the side, Romeo Lavia may also have to bide his time before he becomes the side’s go-to defensive midfielder.
Topics: Manchester City, Premier League, Pep Guardiola, Football
Srinivas Sadhanand