United close in on Tielemans but £85m Scott price tag complicates midfield rebuild

Manchester United are closing in on a summer midfield overhaul, with advanced talks underway to sign Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans for £35 million — but the search for a third and final addition is proving far more complicated.

Tielemans, who holds a release clause in his Villa contract, is understood to want the move to Old Trafford despite his current club’s reluctance to sell. He would join Andrey Santos, with United set to spend approximately £85 million on the pair — a figure that drew comparisons to Tottenham’s £85 million acquisition of Mateus Fernandes, a player United had previously targeted.

With those two deals nearing completion, the club’s attention turns to what is being described internally as the most important — and most expensive — signing of the window. Several options have already fallen away: Elliot Anderson joined Manchester City, Fernandes moved to Spurs, and Aurélien Tchouaméni signed a new contract with Real Madrid.

One name United are known to have tracked is Bournemouth’s Alex Scott. The 22-year-old established himself as one of the Premier League’s more promising midfielders last season, starting almost every game for the Cherries despite not completing a full 90 minutes throughout the campaign — a legacy of two serious knee injuries that disrupted his first two years on the south coast after joining from Bristol City in 2023.

Scott’s versatility has caught the eye of United’s data department. He operated primarily as a number eight for Bournemouth last season but also featured as a six, and that positional flexibility mirrors the profile United pursued in Anderson and Fernandes earlier in the window.

However, there are reservations. Scott is considered more naturally suited to the eight role, and questions remain over whether his defensive output is sufficient to anchor a midfield alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes — a combination that may demand more defensive discipline from a third player.

Those doubts are compounded by Bournemouth’s valuation. The south coast club are reportedly seeking around £85 million for Scott — a fee that many observers consider difficult to justify given the positional uncertainty and his injury history. The inflated transfer market has given smaller clubs the leverage to set ambitious price tags, and Bournemouth appear unwilling to negotiate downward.

United have already shown a willingness to move quickly and quietly on unexpected targets this summer, so an alternative candidate cannot be ruled out. But as the window progresses, the pressure to identify and secure the right profile — at the right price — is only growing.