From €62m Chelsea flop to Ballon d'Or winner? Xabi Alonso has his own Rodri

7 Oct 2026 16:03 BST 3 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

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Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia has been backed to enter the Ballon d'Or conversation in the future following his stunning performances for Belgium.

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The 22-year-old seems to be finally overcoming his fitness struggles, which have, to date, made him a hugely disappointing signing for Chelsea. Lavia arrived from Southampton for an eye-watering €62.1 million in 2023, but has only played just over 2,100 minutes in three years.

He has had 11 different injuries since moving to West London and missed almost two seasons' worth of action. So far in 2026/27, Lavia has been spared any new fitness issues, which has allowed him to start four of Chelsea's five Premier League fixtures.

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€23.1M - €28.3M

Speaking to the media last month, Lavia insisted that he is determined to "change the narrative" this season and prove that Chelsea were right to spend big money on him after his breakthrough at Southampton.

With Chelsea having a major midfield problem following the departure of Enzo Fernandez, Lavia has to shoulder a lot of responsibility this season. The early signs are that he can handle his newfound importance.

Lavia stars for Belgium

During this international break, Lavia made his long-awaited return to the senior Belgium team, playing for the Red Devils for the first time since his debut all the way back in March 2023.

The 22-year-old featured in all four games under new manager Mark van Bommel. He started twice and stayed on the pitch for more than 80 minutes in those games - a first since 2025.

He certainly made a positive impression, particularly in the final game of the break against France. He provided a brilliant assist for Dodi Lukebakio's opener, although things eventually turned sour for the Red Devils, who would go on to lose 4-1.

According to experienced manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck, Lavia has been one of the big winners of this first camp under Van Bommel, alongside Lukebakio. In fact, the 62-year-old went so far as to compare the 22-year-old to Barcelona star Rodri.

"Two players stood out," Vanhaezebrouck told Het Nieuwsblad. "One who was also an immediate starter under Domenico Tedesco: Dodi Lukebakio. For me, he is the man of this break, along with Romeo Lavia.

"Anyone with a Premier League subscription already knew it: Lavia is a phenomenon. One of the best midfielders in the world, provided he stays fit. I wonder what Chelsea think of the fact that he stayed on the pitch for 85 minutes twice. Usually, he is substituted after 65 minutes.

"But whenever he plays, it is like ‘wow.’ It is often said of Rodri that he dictates the tempo, never loses possession, and always plays forward. Is Lavia of exactly the same calibre?"

When asked whether Lavia could enter the Ballon d'Or conversation in the future, Vanhaezebrouck answered in the affirmative: "If he stays fit, he will become a player who qualifies for that.

"He has it all: good footwork, doesn’t lose the ball, a low centre of gravity, which means he always turns away well. You can hang onto him, but he is so solid that he stays upright.

"The assist to Lukebakio, the ball to [Kevin] de Bruyne against France - he is constantly scanning as well. He has almost 360-degree vision. With Lavia, we are getting a world-class player that [previous managers] Tedesco and [Rudi] Garcia didn’t have."