Romeo Lavia has been reflecting on his time as a Manchester City player, as he gears up for his second season at Chelsea.
Lavia is hoping for a radically different campaign this time around, after he was limited to just one appearance last season.
The midfielder made just one 29-minute appearance under Mauricio Pochettino last term, with injuries keeping him on the sidelines.
It was a shame for Lavia, who had earned a big-money move to Stamford Bridge after an impressive season at Southampton.
Lavia joined the Saints from City in the summer of 2022, with Pep Guardiola having decided that the player wasn’t quite at the level required to be kept. He apparently informed Lavia that he needed to develop, and the youngster then moved to the south coast in a deal worth around £14 million.
Lavia names the five Man City stars who showed him ‘that’s the level’
Lavia was a youngster who many fans felt would go on to become a member of Guardiola’s first-team squad.
The starlet had impressed with both the U18 and the U23s after joining the club in 2020, and even won the PL2 Player of the Season in 2021.
But in the end, he just wasn’t quite able to make it, and his move to Southampton was facilitated.
But Lavia took a lot away from his time at the Etihad Stadium, and the fact he got to train with such amazing players is something that he feels was invaluable.
Lavia has conducted a new interview with BBC Sport, and he name-dropped five players who left a serious impression on him during his time at the club.
He said: “I had [playing alongside me] Rodri, Fernandinho, Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva.
“These players could play in midfield and in different positions if needed and that’s something that when you look at it, you say, ‘wow, that’s the level.’
“They’re always putting their head down and working.”
Lavia has had an amazing football education
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Lavia had a very frustrating 2023/24 and he will be absolutely determined to shine this time around for Chelsea.
He was superb at Southampton and he will now look to kick on. And the education he received at City will be invaluable to him.
He spent a lot of time playing with world-class players, and naturally he will have learned so much from simply sharing the training pitches with them.
It will have been particularly useful for him to train with Rodri and Fernandinho, who are defensive midfielders like he is.
Rodri is currently the best in the world in his position, and Fernandinho was right up there with the very best during his prime years at the club.
Hopefully, Lavia will now make a success of his time at Stamford Bridge.
