Romeo Lavia will wear the number 45 for Chelsea this season.
The midfielder has signed a seven-year contract with the Blues after joining from Southampton and will proudly wear Chelsea shirt with 45 on his back, just as he did for the Saints.
Lavia started his career with Anderlecht in his native Belgium and spent eight years with the club before joining Manchester City at the age of 16.
He impressed for the club’s Under-18s and Elite Development Squad and made his senior debut in September 2021. Lavia started in the EFL Cup against Wycombe Wanderers and helped his side to a 6-1 win.
Lavia made one further first-team appearance for City before completing a switch to Southampton last summer.
In a campaign that ended in relegation for the Saints, Lavia made 34 appearances. He caught the eye with several impressive performances, including in a surprise Southampton victory at Stamford Bridge in February.