Romeo Lavia is beginning to look like the Chelsea midfielder the club hoped it signed in 2023. After several difficult spells with injuries, the 22-year-old says he now feels free to play, take responsibility and embrace leadership under new manager Xabi Alonso.
That change in mindset could be just as important as his return to regular Premier League football.
Lavia’s Chelsea Career Has Been Interrupted by Injuries
Chelsea signed Lavia from Southampton for around £53 million in 2023, but his first seasons at Stamford Bridge were repeatedly disrupted by injuries. He made only one Premier League appearance in his first season and managed 12 league appearances in 2025/26.
This season has offered a different start. Lavia has been given a consistent role in Alonso’s midfield and has spoken about the mental side of dealing with setbacks. Rather than seeing leadership as something that creates pressure, he now describes it as a privilege and credits his family, teammates and Chelsea’s staff for helping him reach that point.
The significance is clear. Romeo Lavia’s injury-free Chelsea run is giving him the chance to build rhythm instead of constantly having to rebuild his fitness.
Alonso Is Giving Lavia More Responsibility
Lavia’s development also fits into what Romeo Lavia and Xabi Alonso have been working on since the former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen coach took charge.
Chelsea won their opening two Premier League matches under Alonso, with Lavia scoring in the 4-3 victory over Brighton.
The midfielder has spoken positively about Alonso’s approach and the mentality the manager is trying to create inside the squad. His role is not simply to win the ball. He is increasingly expected to help control matches and give Chelsea stability in the middle of the pitch.
That responsibility becomes even more important as Chelsea continue to develop a young squad.
Morgan Rogers Adds Another Attacking Option
Lavia has also praised Chelsea’s attacking development, particularly the way new players such as Morgan Rogers have settled into the team. Rogers has made an immediate impact since arriving at Stamford Bridge, scoring in each of Chelsea’s first four Premier League appearances.
That attacking quality gives Lavia more options when Chelsea move forward, while his ability to protect the midfield can allow players ahead of him to take greater risks.
However, Chelsea still have work to do. Their 2-2 draw with Hull showed that strong attacking performances have been accompanied by defensive problems, with Alonso publicly calling for greater control and toughness.
The Next Step Is Consistency
For Lavia, the biggest challenge now is maintaining the availability that has been missing from much of his Chelsea career.
He has already shown that he can influence matches when fit. The next stage is turning that into a sustained run of performances and becoming a reliable part of Alonso’s midfield.
His own comments suggest that he is approaching that challenge differently now. Instead of worrying about the pressure attached to his price tag or his previous setbacks, Romeo Lavia is ready to lead Chelsea and sees the responsibility as part of his growth. That could make this season an important turning point in his Chelsea career.
