The Blues have made a £55m bid for the 19-year-old, more than the £50m valuation the Saints had been holding out for, and are now firmly leading the race to sign Lavia.
Liverpool have already had three offers for the teenager rejected this summer, while Chelsea made their first move earlier this week with a £48m bid.
The two clubs, who meet on Sunday at Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, are also going head-to-head for Moises Caicedo’s signature.
Despite nearing a deal for Lavia, Chelsea remain keen on bringing top target Caicedo to west London.
Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Friday that Liverpool had reached an agreement with Brighton for the midfielder, a British-record fee of £111m, but Chelsea are still pushing to ensure Caicedo does not end up at Anfield. They must at least match Liverpool’s huge offer.
The Blues’ move for Tyler Adams has though broken down, despite the club triggering the midfielder’s £20m release clause. The 24-year-old could end up playing a key role in the Caicedo saga though, with Brighton keen on the Leeds star.
