Lavia was the subject of transfer interest from the Reds last year and it seemed that they were on course to land his signature.

However, they were beaten to his signature by the Blues. Lavia was persuaded to join them despite agreeing terms with Liverpool .

Speaking about the decision, Lavia said: "The interest from Liverpool was there but in my head, I wanted to play for Chelsea .

"If you look at all the teams, Chelsea is the one that is growing."

Lavia had a dreadful debut season with the Blues. He was out with two long-term injuries and made just one appearance for them.

He has returned in tip-top shape ahead of the new campaign and will be aiming to make his mark under manager Enzo Maresca .

The Blues have a tough start to the Premier League season. They will be hosting champions Manchester City in the curtain-raiser.

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