CHELSEA HAVE AGREED a fee of €62 million (£53.5m) to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton.

The midfielder made it known to his club on Monday that he favoured a move to Stamford Bridge over Liverpool, who had had a similar bid accepted, with a deal having been reached on Tuesday night for him to join the west London club.

Lavia will now undergo a medical in advance of becoming the eighth first-team signing the club have made this summer.

He made 29 Premier League appearances last season in what was his debut top-flight campaign, after joining Saints from Manchester City last summer.

Chelsea have club have agreed to pay Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise’s €41m (£35m) release clause, paving the way for the France U21 international to join Lavia at Stamford Bridge.

A deal is yet to be struck with the player but it is understood he has made it clear to Palace that he wishes to leave in order to become the latest recruit in Mauricio Pochettino’s Stamford Bridge rebuild.

The 21-year-old, who can play either as an attacking midfielder or out wide, is currently out with a hamstring injury and is unlikely to be fit before September.

Both deals would take Chelsea’s spending this week to over €233m (£200m) following the British record capture of Brighton’s Moises Caicedo for a potential €133m (£115m) on Monday.