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Alex Scott is Chelsea’s primary target for the upcoming January transfer window and it’s understood that a formal offer is likely to be submitted soon.
The England international has been earmarked as Chelsea’s preferred replacement for the departed Enzo Fernandez, following their failed bid to sign Lamine Camara on Deadline Day, and they are set to intensify their pursuit of his signature over the coming weeks.
It was initially understood that Bournemouth were reluctant to sanction a sale during the winter window due to their desire to win the Europa League, but widespread reports indicate that a U-turn has been made following talks with Scott’s representatives.
The 23-year-old’s current contract at Bournemouth is due to expire in 2028 and with no extension agreement in sight, Marco Rose’s side are reportedly willing to negotiate a sale next year.
A fee of around €120 million (£100m) will likely be required to finalise a deal in January, but early rumours suggest that Chelsea are open to matching this asking price as they look to drastically improve their midfield options during the mid-season window.
Meanwhile, there is a hidden reason why a January transfer may be on.
Bournemouth don’t need Alex Scott
Scott was one of the most in-form players in the Premier League before the September international break and he was subsequently rewarded with his first England cap versus Czechia and his first senior start against Croatia four days later.
However, he picked up a hamstring injury while on duty with Thomas Tuchel’s side and he has been sidelined ever since Bournemouth returned to action in October.
The Cherries suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to Chelsea in their first fixture without Scott, but their form since then has been nothing short of exemplary.
Bournemouth have won six consecutive matches across all competitions since the loss to Chelsea, scoring 16 goals and conceding none. They have been faultless without their star midfielder and this could prove pivotal for Chelsea.
While Bournemouth may previously have been reluctant to lose Scott, given his importance to Rose’s side, it’s become evident they don’t rely on the England star, and their sensational run of form without him suggests they will be able to cope with a sale extremely well.
The Cherries have notably sold Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen, Antoine Semenyo, Ilya Zabarnyi and Dango Ouattara since the end of the 2024-25 season, but their progression has continued thanks to consistently spectacular recruitment, and losing Scott permanently no longer looks like it would be a huge miss.
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