Chelsea made late calls to sign Alex Scott as United, Arsenal and Liverpool circle £100m Bournemouth star

Chelsea made a last-ditch attempt to sign Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott before the transfer window closed, placing calls in the final days of the window after an earlier £64m bid had already been turned down. Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool were also in pursuit of the 23-year-old, who Bournemouth have valued at around £100m — four times the £25m they paid Bristol City three years ago.

The Blues had identified Scott as their top target to replace Enzo Fernandez, and sources indicate Chelsea would have been willing to exceed their initial offer had Bournemouth shown any willingness to sell. The south-coast club, however, held firm across the board, refusing to let any of their key players leave despite the departure of head coach Andoni Iraola.

Liverpool’s interest carries a personal dimension: Iraola, who has since taken charge at Anfield, worked closely with Scott during his time at Bournemouth and knows the player well. Arsenal made strong enquiries of their own, while Manchester United had Scott firmly in their plans as they looked to reshape their midfield — only to be told a deal was not possible.

The situation is complicated by Scott’s contract status. He has declined to sign a new deal at Bournemouth and is now entering the final two years of his current agreement, a development that first alerted clubs to the possibility of prising him away. With one year remaining next summer, his market value will begin to fall, though a bidding war among the Premier League’s leading clubs could still keep the price elevated.

Bournemouth’s stance was partly driven by dressing-room dynamics. The club also resisted approaches for Brazil winger Rayan and striker Junior Kroupi — the latter attracting interest from Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain — and felt that selling any one player would have undermined trust across the squad.

Scott has responded to the speculation with composure, starting the new season in strong form and scoring against Everton on the opening weekend. He has not yet earned a senior England cap but travelled with the squad to their pre-tournament training camp in Florida ahead of the summer’s World Cup qualifying cycle. England head coach Thomas Tuchel is due to name his squad for upcoming Nations League fixtures against Spain, Czech Republic and Croatia, and Scott is widely expected to be included.