Liverpool and Chelsea chase Alex Scott in £100m Bournemouth transfer battle

Liverpool and Chelsea are locked in a transfer battle for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, with the English club now willing to sell the 23-year-old as early as January for a minimum fee of £100 million, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Scott’s potential departure marks a significant shift from Bournemouth’s previous position. The club had twice rebuffed Chelsea’s advances in the summer and turned away interest from Arsenal and Liverpool, insisting the player was not for sale. Contract renewal talks between Scott and Bournemouth subsequently broke down, prompting the club to reconsider its stance heading into the winter window.

“In the summer, Chelsea tried twice to sign Alex Scott. Arsenal called before signing Bruno Guimaraes. Liverpool called to understand the situation without sending any bid,” Romano explained. “Chelsea were the more aggressive and Bournemouth told all these clubs that the player is not for sale. Now Bournemouth are open to selling Alex Scott already in the January window.”

Romano added that three conditions must be met for a deal to proceed: a sufficiently large bid, the player’s own desire to leave, and Bournemouth’s acceptance of the offer. “Sources close to Bournemouth believe it has to be, at minimum, £100 million,” he said. “It has to be big money in order to open doors.”

For Liverpool, a move for Scott would also represent a reunion with manager Andoni Iraola, who worked with the midfielder during his time in charge at Bournemouth. The Reds are currently fifth in the Premier League and have identified midfield reinforcement as a priority, with Dominik Szoboszlai having missed recent fixtures through injury and Ryan Gravenberch seeing his minutes reduced.

Romano has urged Liverpool supporters to “save the name” ahead of the window, though he noted his expectation is that a deal is more likely to materialise in 2027 than this coming January. Chelsea, meanwhile, are believed to consider themselves the frontrunners, having been the most persistent suitors throughout the summer.

With multiple top English clubs circling and Bournemouth’s asking price set at a significant threshold, the outcome of the January window could hinge on who blinks first with a nine-figure offer.