Southampton dropped a clanger and Bristol City made £25 million after | OneFootball

Southampton once had Alex Scott on their books and had they have not been careless, it could have been them receiving the fee.

Bristol City are renowned for giving young players an opportunity to thrive, and Alex Scott was certainly one of those, but had Southampton kept hold of the midfielder it could have been very different.

Scott was one of a number of players to come through the academy at the Robins and flourish in the first team. We have also seen the success of young forwards like Tommy Conway, who enjoyed breakthrough seasons before a transfer for over £4m.

Southampton, meanwhile, have had a different strategy of signing young players from other teams and hoping they will become sellable assets in the future.

But they may well regret letting Scott slip away given the success he enjoyed with City and now Bournemouth.

Alex Scott could have been a Southampton saviour

Born in Guernsey, Scott had limited options when it came to finding a team that was close enough to his home to play for their academy. At just eight years old, the midfielder signed for one of the South Coast sides in Southampton and spent four-and-a-half years at the club, flying over every weekend to train and play.

Unfortunately for Scott, though, the sacrifice himself and his parents made was not rewarded and, aged 12, he was released from the academy. Speaking to the Daily Echo about this, the Bournemouth star said: “It was tough on my parents as well, having to pay for flights each week for four years. We sacrificed so much as a family to make it work which made it really hard to take when I wasn’t offered a contract."

Giving away much of his childhood took a toll on the youngster, and after rejecting a contract offered by his current club, Bournemouth, he fell out of love with football due to the stresses he had endured.

A spell at local club Guernsey FC helped to kick-start his career. Bristol City scouts were quick to spot his talent and snapped up the islander following a successful trial.

Success at Ashton Gate

Southampton's loss was Bristol City's gain, and it didn't take long for Scott to show those at the club that he was worthy of a chance. At just 17 years of age, he made his debut in a 3-2 defeat to Luton and started his first fixture against Brentford on the final day of the season.

The following two campaigns were smash hits for Scott, who impressed with his progressive ball-carrying ability and his versatility to play anywhere across the midfield. In his two seasons in the South West, he achieved an average rating of 7.0 in both and played remarkably well in an inconsistent side.

2022/23's stellar performances also earned him a place in the EFL Championship Team of the Year, and he was suitably rewarded with Young Player of the Season.

It was no surprise then when interest came from Bournemouth and Wolves in the summer. With the Midlands club in a financial fair play crisis, the 20-year-old signed for his former youth team for a fee of £25 million, and Southampton will be looking at that now with a hint of jealousy.

A massive regret for Saints

For Southampton, Scott was one that certainly got away. Had he been at the club now, he could have been a huge player for the Saints and would definitely have contributed week in and week out for them, perhaps even helping them avoid the yo-yo status they've landed.

Scott has been in more than decent form for Bournemouth, with praise having already come from the highest level in Pep Guardiola who called him “an unbelievable player” when the Robins played Manchester City in the FA Cup.

He's played for England, scored an impressive winner against Arsenal and is an outside bet for the 2026 World Cup after his form has helped Bournemouth into European contention. It is seemingly just a matter of time before the "Guernsey Grealish" truly explodes in world football and makes Saints fans wonder 'what if?' even more.