The complete player: Chelsea move ahead in the race to sign the England star

Chelsea lead a heated race to sign Bournemouth and England star Alex Scott in the upcoming period.

Scott arrived at Bournemouth from Bristol City in 2023 and has since become one of the most sought-after midfielders in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old earned his first senior England call-up last November, only to miss out on a place in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad.

He finally made his senior debut on Tuesday evening, coming off the bench for Elliot Anderson in the 70th minute of the UEFA Nations League clash with the Czech Republic at the Fortuna Arena in Prague.

His future dominated the headlines all summer. England's biggest clubs had tracked his progress for some time.

According to the Telegraph, Chelsea have jumped to the "front of the queue" to secure Scott's signature after Bournemouth rejected a £60 million offer near the end of the transfer window.

The Blues are reportedly ready to push hard to strengthen Enzo Maresca's midfield in January and next summer, having failed in a late bid to sign Monaco's Lamine Camara last month.

Bournemouth's refusal to sell Scott in the summer has done nothing to cool Chelsea's interest, according to the Metro.

Arsenal and Liverpool are also keeping close tabs on his situation and will provide stiff competition if Chelsea step up their efforts.

Scott's current contract with Bournemouth runs until June 2028.

Summer reports suggested it would take an offer north of £80 million to prise Scott away from the Vitality Stadium.

After an outstanding display against Croatia on Saturday, Tuchel hailed the Bournemouth man as "the complete player".

The German told reporters after England's crushing 7-0 win: "First start, and what a start. What a performance!".

He added: "He has outstanding skill in handling the ball at the moment, his decision-making is at the highest level, and he plays with great confidence. He is very energetic, very confident, and puts in a lot of effort without the ball. He is a complete player at the moment".