Chelsea Transfer News Today: Alex Scott update as official message delivered

FootballTransfers runs through the latest Chelsea transfer news, rumours and gossip, including updates on Alex Scott and Kendry Paez.

Bournemouth have no interest in selling Chelsea target Alex Scott during the upcoming January window.

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 team-mates, leaving Chelsea in a difficult spot to try and sign their number one target.

It comes after The i Paper reported that Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea have all made “exploratory” checks as they eye a move for the England midfielder.

Paris Saint-Germain defender Willian Pacho has urged Chelsea to retain faith in Kendry Paez, despite an underwhelming start to his career at Stamford Bridge.

The Ecuador wonderkid joined Chelsea from Independiente del Valle with a burgeoning reputation last summer and he was immediately sent on loan to sister club Strasbourg in Ligue 1. However, the deal was cut short in January, with Paez subsequently joining River Plate on another temporary transfer.

Paez’s time back in South America was a major disappointment and the River Plate hierarchy terminated his loan deal in August, with the 19-year-old forced to return to Chelsea before the end of the summer window.

However, Paez was still included in Ecuador’s squad for the November international break, and his compatriot Pacho believes he still has the talent to enjoy a successful career at the highest level.

“Kendry is a good guy, every player is different, but he’s been through some tough times. The support he receives from us will be important. He’ll be fine, I’m confident he’ll come through and be a great player and help the national team,” Pacho, who has an Estimated Transfer Value of €65.5 million, told reporters (via Sport Witness).

“He’s a great player, a great person, a great human being, everything falls into place. I’m confident that he’ll succeed and become a great player. He has everything. People criticise him now, but I’m sure they’ll praise him later.”

Martin Zubimendi has struggled for game time at Arsenal this season and he has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea in recent days, with Xabi Alonso believed to be pushing the Blues to finalise a deal next year.

However, Fabrizio Romano has revealed that a January transfer remains unlikely. He told his YouTube channel: “When we talk about Zubimendi, we should always remember that there is a manager who loves Zubimendi, and that manager is Xabi Alonso.

“Imagine when he was in conversations to become the Bayern manager, he told them, ‘If I am coming, I want Martin Zubimendi.’ So he is a player he loves. One day Xabi Alonso would love to work with Martin Zubimendi, but at the moment, again, that is it.

“And also, to see Arsenal selling to Chelsea, obviously that would take very big money. And for Chelsea, I will keep in mind the name of Alex Scott when we talk about midfielders. So, at the moment, the Zubimendi situation is quiet.”

Manchester United have reportedly joined the race to sign Chelsea defender Malo Gusto as Mauricio Pochettino eyes a reunion with the France international.

It was widely reported that Chelsea were willing to sell Gusto if their €90 million asking price was met over the summer and while the Frenchman was initially keen to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge, he is now open to leaving the club in January.

BBC Sport report that Gusto is assessing his options ahead of the winter window, and talkSPORT claim that Manchester City and Man Utd are both interested in signing Gusto next year.

Man City have been searching for a new right-back for several seasons and Enzo Maresca is understood to be the driving force behind their pursuit of Gusto, having worked with the 23-year-old at Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Man Utd are also keeping close tabs on his situation at Stamford Bridge ahead of the imminent appointment of Pochettino as their new manager.

Chelsea are reportedly “unlikely” to sack Xabi Alonso even if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.

The 44-year-old was appointed as the first Chelsea ‘manager’ since Jose Mourinho in 2013 and he was handed significant power in the transfer market this summer as the club’s BlueCo owners looked to rectify the plethora of mistakes made under their reign.

Alonso’s tenure began with back-to-back Premier League wins over Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion in August, but Chelsea’s form has stuttered ever since and they are now fifth in the English top flight table, 11 points behind league leaders Arsenal after just 10 fixtures.

However, Chelsea are expected to retain faith in the Spaniard, according to Football.London.

It’s reported that sacking Alonso is seen as “very unlikely,” with the club instead viewing this period as “the very start of the Alonso era.”

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