Manchester United target £80m Alex Scott to anchor revamped midfield alongside Tielemans

Manchester United are targeting Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott in a deal worth around £80m as permanent manager Michael Carrick looks to reshape his midfield ahead of a return to Champions League football at Old Trafford.

Scott, 22, is understood to sit at the top of United’s midfield shortlist despite Bournemouth’s attempts to tie him down to a new contract. The Cherries qualified for European football last season for the first time in their history, with Scott a central figure in that achievement.

The move would form part of a three-player midfield rebuild this summer. Andrey Santos has already arrived from Chelsea in a £50m deal, while United are in advanced talks with Aston Villa over Youri Tielemans, having reportedly activated the Belgian’s £35m release clause. A proposed move for Ederson now appears to have stalled and may be revisited later in the window.

Carrick typically operates a double pivot, with Kobbie Mainoo expected to anchor it. United’s need is for a physical, box-to-box number eight capable of protecting the young Mainoo — a role Scott is seen as ideally suited to fill. Tielemans, who can also operate as a number ten, is viewed as an alternative profile to Ederson rather than a direct replacement.

Scott’s qualities were on show throughout Bournemouth’s 2024/25 campaign. He is regarded as a tenacious ball-carrier with elite positional sense, strong defensive screening, and the ability to intercept cleanly — attributes that would complement Mainoo’s dynamism while also serving as a link to Bruno Fernandes further forward.

United’s final Premier League fixture of the season, a 3-0 win over Brighton, offered a glimpse of the direction Carrick intends to take. Mainoo was dominant in a deeper role, while Mason Mount performed capably as the number eight — though the club are clearly seeking a more physical option for that position going forward.

With Casemiro’s departure creating a significant void, United’s ambition is to have three new midfielders in place before the Champions League campaign begins.