Chelsea on track to secure blockbuster signing of England star in club-record January deal – Exclusive
Chelsea are increasingly confident of securing the signature of Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott during the January transfer window, with sources believing the 23-year-old will find the move difficult to turn down and with the Blues ready to meet the Cherries’ sky-high demands.
The 23-year-old recently won his first two caps for England, and showed he did not look out of place on the big stage, despite his second match being soured by the news that he has picked up a thigh injury, which is expected to sideline the midfielder for up to five weeks.
And while Bournemouth managed to resist the sale of Scott over the summer window, the fact that his deal is due to expire in summer 2028, together with the fact that the player is so far resisting all calls to sign an extension, has led sources to explain why a January sale is now looking increasingly likely.
The Blues view Scott as a natural fit for a squad that already features some of the Premier League’s most exciting young talent. The chance to play alongside Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers, while being coached by Xabi Alonso, is regarded as a major pull factor for the star.
Those close to the situation say the combination of Alonso’s tactical approach and a dressing room packed with high-potential teammates is expected to weigh heavily in Chelsea’s favour when the player looks at his many different options.
Bournemouth, though, will not go down without a fight and, while still trying to persuade the midfielder to sign a new deal – potentially with a similar kind of exit clause they stuck in Antoine Semenyo’s last contract at the Vitality Stadium before he joined Manchester City in a £62.5m deal – they still retain hope.
However, should that battle be lost and they ultimately decide that they are unable to stand in the player’s way, sources are making it clear that a mid-season move across the Premier League will hit the Blues hard in the pocket, and amid what will be a club-record sale demand from the Cherries…
Bournemouth to set big price for Alex Scott
Sources, though, stress that time remains on Bournemouth’s side and they won’t be pressured into any decision just yet, despite the winter window officially opening for business in just 81 days.
To that end, the Cherries have stepped up efforts to agree a new long-term contract and have made clear they do not want to lose Scott midway through the season, urging him to delay any exit until next summer at best and in the meantime, expressing the belief that tying him down would strengthen their negotiating position.
Chelsea, though, are not letting this one go and, having missed out on Lamine Camara on deadline day in the summer, have a growing belief that a deal for Scott is there to be done.
As a result, any deal is expected to cost close to £100m (€118m, $132m) – a fee that would comfortably set a new record mark at the Vitality Stadium.
Bournemouth consider that valuation to be consistent with the current market for top young central midfielders, pointing to the fees paid for Elliot Anderson, Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice as recent benchmarks.
Sources at the south-coast club insist they will not sell for anything far away from that figure, arguing that Scott’s age, technical profile, Premier League experience and, now, international status, justify a price at the upper end of the scale.
Chelsea’s belief that an agreement can be reached rests on the sense that the overall package, being an elite football club, a progressive manager and a core of young internationals who Scott knows well, outweighs the appeal of staying at Bournemouth.
Whether that proves decisive in January will depend on how far the Cherries are prepared to go to retain their player, if Chelsea can pay the amount and whether Scott himself is tempted by the opportunity to join a squad built around emerging talent under Alonso.
Meanwhile, it’s reported that Scott’s emergence on the England scene has finally spelt the end of a well-established player’s long-time international career.
