How Southampton lost out on £25m cash windfall - Bristol City are the ones laughing | OneFootball

Southampton let go of Alex Scott at a young age and it was Bristol City who benefitted

Southampton missed out on a potential £25 million windfall when they allowed Alex Scott to leave their academy, much to the eventual delight of both AFC Bournemouth and Bristol City

The midfielder was a part of the Saints academy system, but departed at the age of 12, leading to a move back home with local non-league side Guernsey.

But it didn’t take long for him to be noticed by Championship sides after going professional at 16, with a move to Bristol City coming in 2020.

The now 22-year-old went on to sign his first professional contract in March 2021 before going on to become an integral part of the senior team after graduating from the academy system, where he earned rave reviews.

Scott went from strength to strength with Bristol City, before ultimately signing for Premier League side Bournemouth in a deal worth a reported £25 million in August 2023.

Bristol City benefited from Southampton, Alex Scott exit

Scott trained in the Southampton academy setup but was released at the age of 12 and briefly had a spell with Bournemouth before committing to Guernsey.

The Saints built up a strong reputation for bringing through younger players during their rise to the Premier League, and their best years in the division under the likes of Nigel Adkins, Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman.

Players like James Ward-Prowse, Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana and, of course, Gareth Bale came through to become regulars in the Premier League. In more recent times, stars such as Tyler Dibling and Jay Robinson have emerged from within, as the Saints' production line continues to blossom.

But Scott’s potential was missed by the Hampshire outfit, much to the benefit of Bristol City.

The Robins gave the midfielder a league debut at the age of just 17, with Nigel Pearson bringing him on as a substitute for the final 20 minutes of their league clash against Luton Town in April 2021.

He played a further 45 minutes in another defeat to Millwall a week later, before earning a first league start in their final fixture of the campaign against Brentford.

Pearson continued to show his extreme faith in Scott, with the midfielder starting 35 of his 38 league appearances in the following campaign, cementing his place as a key part of the team at the age of 17.

Scott starred in 2022/23, a campaign which would see him labelled an "unbelievable player" by no other than Manchester City's Pep Guardiola before winning Bristol City's Player and Young Player awards, the EFL Championship Young Player of the Season award, and going on to earn a spot in the division's Team of the Season.

Bristol City’s £25 million Alex Scott windfall

Bristol City’s development of Scott proved crucial, with the player proving himself ready for the step up to the Premier League.

While the Robins were unable to provide that pathway with a 14th place finish in the Championship in the 2022/23 campaign, they did not stand in his way when Bournemouth came calling that summer.

It was reported that the second division side earned an initial £20 million fee, with a further £5 million in add-ons also included in the structure of the deal.

While injuries have prevented him from being a consistent part of the Cherries’ first team squad, he has performed well when given his opportunities in the top flight.

The success of Scott at that level will help Bristol City to attract other young talent to the club, proving they can provide the game time that can earn players a chance at the highest level.

But next time Southampton may need to think twice before letting someone go from their academy setup, as they could be the next major windfall for a side like the Robins.