Chelsea's Romeo Lavia has been making headlines in Belgium after delivering impressive performances for the national team. Analysts have lauded his simplicity on the pitch and his knack for rapidly transitioning the ball from defence to attack.
Former Belgian international Jan Kulemans has been singing the praises of the 22-year-old midfielder:
A good footballer plays simply, and that is exactly how Lavia operates.
He regains possession and manages the ball well, always looking to play forward. Of course, his teammates help by finding space and making runs.
Stephen Defour has taken his admiration a step further, believing that Lavia could secure a long-term spot in Belgium's midfield:
He is our defensive midfielder of the future, and he is already showing his quality now. It is impressive.
What sets Lavia apart from others in this role — and I don’t mean to undermine Raskin — is that his first touch either drives the ball forward immediately or is aimed at making a forward pass with the next touch.
However, fellow former Belgian striker Jelle Vossen has urged caution regarding premature conclusions:
I adopt a more cautious approach towards labels like ‘defensive midfielder of the future’. He certainly had a good match, no doubt about that. But can we say his place in the starting XI is guaranteed for years to come? I’d hold off on that for now.
In recent years, Lavia has faced a series of injuries that have hampered his regular appearances for Chelsea. The young Belgian now has the task of solidifying his successful outings with consistent performances on the pitch.
