Alex Scott: Chelsea’s plot for Man United’s main transfer target unveiled | OneFootball

Manchester United’s midfield rebuild has taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks after a storming start to the summer window saw a £39 million deal struck with Atalanta for Brazilian midfielder Ederson.

The club’s primary targets – Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes – both sealed moves to direct rivals last week, with Manchester City signing the former and Tottenham Hotspur hijacking United’s pursuit of the latter. Both constituted club-record transfers, in excess of what INEOS were willing to pay.

This has forced Old Trafford chiefs to plot a new course, pivoting towards alternatives on their list, such as Bournemouth maestro Alex Scott and Chelsea dynamo Andrey Santos. However, a move for one may impact the other, as a well-placed source at Stamford Bridge reveals.

Chelsea target Scott

Scott, 22, has emerged as one of the most well-rounded midfielders in the Premier League after a superb season on the south coast.

Alex Scott 25/26 season stats

Source: transfermarkt.com

Having joined Bournemouth from Bristol City for £25 million in 2023, he took some time to acclimatise to the jump in quality. But under the watchful eye of Andoni Iraola, the England under-21 international has gone from strength to strength, adding more physicality and better defensive output to his already outstanding technical attributes.

Following a match-winning performance over title-winners Arsenal in April, the Spanish tactician showered his midfielder with praise: “He has played for us as a No 10, a No 8; today as a No 6 and he has added a lot of defensive work and a lot of duel-winning to the ability he has on the ball. I’m very happy, because he is becoming a very, very complete player.”

Bournemouth are keen to lock Scott down on a new contract, having made multiple extension offers already. However, the Cherries are adamant he is not for sale, regardless of whether he puts pen to paper on a new deal.

Whether this is a negotiating tactic to extract maximum value remains to be seen, given United are understood to be “increasingly optimistic” a deal is still there to be made. While the Red Devils consider Scott their new ‘main target’, they are not alone in their admiration of the Guernsey native, with Arsenal having already made a formal enquiry.

Simon Phillips, an excellent source for Chelsea information, reveals the Blues have also “really liked Scott for a while now and have been scouting him all season.” While there is acceptance in west London that Bournemouth’s stance on an exit is resolute, Phillips states his information is Chelsea will try and strike a deal.

Scott in, Santos Out

In order to fund this pursuit, Santos – a target Manchester United made contact with last week – may be sacrificed. Phillips claims sources have indicated Scott could “replace” the Brazilian, with Chelsea open to his departure if a suitable offer arrives.

United were interested in Santos last summer, having explored a deal when the two clubs were negotiating Alejandro Garnacho’s £40 million switch to Stamford Bridge. At that point, the Blues refused to entertain the possibility.

But, twelve months on, the 22-year-old is keen for more first-team opportunities, having struggled to break through ahead of the midfield pairing of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. If the opportunity to arrive at Old Trafford presents itself, he is said to be very keen on the move.

Chelsea will not stand in his way, provided their asking price – understood to be around £50m – is met. While this is much cheaper than United’s other targets, it raises the possibility that by targeting Santos, and bolstering his club’s budget as a result, United could risk missing out on yet another priority target in Scott.

Adding another layer of complexity is Chelsea’s plan to sign Crystal Palace playmaker Adam Wharton in the event that Fernandez is sold. Real Madrid are believed to be targeting the Argentina international, though a £120m valuation is prohibitive for the Spanish giants.

If Madrid want to raise the funds to match it, they may be forced to consider the sale of Aurelien Tchouameni, who is a dream target for Old Trafford. But the France international has also been linked with Chelsea, owing to Xabi Alonso’s pre-existing relationship after their time together at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The midfield carousel is in full swing this summer, with virtually every top club in England jostling for a finite number of options. The unfortunate truth is the Red Devils risk being priced out of deals for each one of their top targets, which explains the early move for a B-list option in Ederson.

Final Thoughts

Described as an “absolute diamond” by a former coach, Manchester United’s interest in Scott is justified. In many ways, he may be an even better option than Fernandes, whom Tottenham Hotspur paid over the odds to steal from United’s clutches. But there is doubt over his compatibility with Kobbie Mainoo, given they share many of the same strengths and, on the flip side, weaknesses.

Santos may be a more suitable partner to Mainoo, though his quality does not match Scott’s, hence Chelsea’s interest in the upgrade. It is a difficult decision for INEOS to consider, even if Bournemouth’s position is that neither club will be getting their hands on their prized asset this summer.

Featured image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images

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