Chelsea are doing their homework on Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, with the club identifying the 22-year-old as their primary midfield replacement should Enzo Fernandez complete a move to Manchester City. Reports indicate Chelsea have already made a £64m offer for Scott, which Bournemouth knocked back — but the contact has been made, and Chelsea are pressing. With Man City given a deadline to table their final bid for Fernandez, the Blues are not waiting around.
Why Man City Want Fernandez So Badly
The logic is straightforward. Rodri is gone to Barcelona, and City's midfield suddenly has a gaping hole where their most important player used to be. Fernandez, an Argentine World Cup winner, is the kind of profile that would go some way to filling that void. The fee being discussed is in the region of £120m, which tells you how desperate City are. Having already lost Rodri for £65m, paying £120m for his replacement is quite the bill. But positions of need carry a premium, and few need filling more urgently than City's midfield right now.
Alex Scott: Who Is Chelsea's Target?
Scott has been one of Bournemouth's standout performers over the past two seasons. At 22, he is a technically gifted central midfielder with good range of passing and the ability to handle the ball in tight spaces. He is not a direct Fernandez replacement in style — the Argentine is more dynamic and physically imposing — but Scott has the quality to hold his own at a top club. Chelsea have also been tracking Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton as a second option, giving them alternatives if Bournemouth hold firm on Scott's valuation.
Chelsea's Stance on the Fernandez Exit
Manager Xabi Alonso would prefer to keep Fernandez, but the club have made it clear they will not stand in his way if City meet the asking price and Chelsea have their replacement lined up. That conditionality is key: Fernandez does not leave until Scott or an equivalent is signed. Whether Bournemouth budge before the window closes is the question nobody has answered yet.
0 Comments