Chelsea and Arsenal receive devastating news over top January transfer targets
Chelsea have been given a huge roadblock over their pursuit of their top transfer target in the January transfer window, with Arsenal also impacted significantly by the latest twist.
Xabi Alonso’s side are keen to sign a midfielder in January after failing to replace Enzo Fernandez following his deadline day move to Manchester City in the summer.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed this week that Chelsea’s ideal signing would be Alex Scott, with the England international entering the final 18 months of his contract at Bournemouth and stalling on signing an extension.
Having blocked his exit in the summer, previous reports had suggested that Bournemouth would reluctantly consider Scott’s sale in January if they received offers of around €90 million.
However, The Telegraph claim that Bournemouth are now determined to keep hold of their star players for the remainder of the season after a run of eight wins in a row which has seen them thrust into European contention.
With Bournemouth also competing in the Europa League, Marco Rose’s side are seventh in the Premier League and are now ‘intending to resist’ any interest in Scott and his teammates, leaving Chelsea in a difficult spot to try and sign their number one target.
Bournemouth leave Chelsea and Arsenal stranded by ruling out Scott and Kroupi January departures
The same report states that Bournemouth will also wait until the end of the season before considering departures for other wanted stars like Rayan, Marcus Tavernier and Arsenal target Eli Junior Kroupi.
Kroupi has just returned to fitness after suffering a foot injury in July and the 20-year-old has also been called up to the French national team for the first time after netting 13 goals in his debut Premier League season last year.
Arsenal have been on the lookout for a new forward and Kroupi is understood to be among their top targets but any hope of a January deal has now seemingly been dashed, although the Gunners had not been urgently pursuing a move either.
Instead, Chelsea could be made to wait for Scott once again, having seen Bournemouth reject bids in excess of €70m for him in the summer, and it may take a significantly larger offer to convince the Cherries to part way with their talisman mid-season.
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