He arrived in England as a lonely kid isolated by Covid. Today, he's a part of the $1 billion revolution at Chelsea

Romeo Lavia officially joined Chelsea for $60 million in yet another major transfer for the Blues. Once again, they pipped Liverpool to secure the services of the Belgian midfield sensation from Southampton.

Liverpool's persistent pursuit of the 19-year-old talent hit a dead end earlier in the transfer window, as Chelsea once again showcased their prowess in the market. Adding to Liverpool's woes, their last-minute bid to snatch Moises Caicedo from the market was dismissed right before Chelsea sealed a groundbreaking $125 million deal with Brighton, setting a new British transfer record.

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Lavia's time at Chelsea started with a successful medical last Thursday, swiftly followed by the penning of a lengthy seven-year contract that stretches to 2030.

"I'm really happy join Chelsea and be a part of this exciting project. It's an amazing football club with a great history and I'm really excited to get started. I can't wait to meet all my new teammates and build chemistry together to achieve great things together.

According to Chelsea's official website, the midfielder expressed that he has significantly improved as a player after gaining a full season's worth of experience in the Premier League. He had the opportunity to showcase his skills 29 times for Southampton and even netted his debut goal against Chelsea at St Mary's.

Off the field, his personal growth continued as well. Lavia made a move to England at the tender age of 16, leaving behind his friends and family in his hometown of Brussels, all of this while the Covid craze was at its highest. Constrained indoors, he had to summon his mental strength; these challenges have added depth to his character and strengthened his resilience. He's confident that his transition to life in West London will be swift and seamless.

The stage is now set for an exciting midfield showdown between Lavia and Caicedo, both new boys looking to earn a place in Mauricio Pochettino's freshly-assembled midfield setup. There's even speculation that Lavia might debut in the upcoming London derby against West Ham on Sunday.

With this latest arrival, Chelsea's spending since the end of last season has risen to a staggering $413 million. Since Todd Boehly's era started at Stamford Bridge, the combined fee paid for new players is approaching an eye-popping total of $1 billion across a mere three transfer windows.