Chelsea lead £100m race for Alex Scott as Bournemouth weigh January sale

Chelsea are leading the pursuit of Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, valued at £100 million, with the Premier League club potentially open to selling in the January transfer window as his contract enters its final two years.

The Blues had a £64 million bid rejected in the summer, but with Scott’s deal running down and interest from across the top flight intensifying, Bournemouth’s stance may be softening — provided the club are not drawn into a relegation battle.

Chelsea’s need in central midfield has become more pressing after they sold Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City late in the summer window without securing a direct replacement. A subsequent approach for Scott failed, and a move for Monaco’s Lamine Camara also collapsed at the eleventh hour, leaving the club short of options in that area of the pitch.

Liverpool are also tracking developments. Andoni Iraola, who managed Scott at Bournemouth, is now in charge at Anfield, giving the Merseyside club an added incentive to strengthen in midfield through a player he knows well.

Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City all explored a move for Scott during the summer, but were firmly rebuffed. Whether that position holds in January will depend largely on where Bournemouth find themselves in the table.

Scott, 23, made his senior England debut during the recent Nations League campaign and starred in the 7-0 victory over Croatia in Rijeka on his first start, a performance that will only enhance his market value. He is currently sidelined for several weeks after aggravating a thigh injury while on international duty, which may influence the timing of any transfer discussions.