Chelsea have received a boost in their bid for Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, with the Cherries now open to a move away.
Bournemouth are ready to sell Chelsea target Alex Scott in January if a £100m bid comes in. But this is not the only condition required for the Cherries to be allowed to leave.
Chelsea are interested in the player, who saw a £64m bid rejected in the summer. At the time, Bournemouth told interested parties not to make an offer or approach for the England midfielder.
Scott wanted to leave with a number of top clubs interested in his signature, but Bournemouth were adamant about keeping hold of the 23-year-old. The former Bristol City ace turned down the opportunity to extend his contract at the end of last season.
Bournemouth’s position has softened after holding the latest round of talks with their representatives, although they are still demanding a hefty fee. Any deal is dependent on the club being secure in the Premier League and they reserve the right to change their position if they need Scott’s help to ensure survival in the division.
Chelsea are interested in the player but could face competition. Liverpool are among the clubs who could consider a move for Scott, who has known Reds boss Andoni Iraola since his time at the Vitality Stadium.
Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United were all interested in Scott in the summer, but have signed other midfielders in the transfer market.
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Whether Bournemouth will part ways remains to be seen after a winless start to the Premier League. The Cherries are in 18th place after three games with three points, but his predecessor Iraola had a longer winless run when he joined the club.
Bournemouth are disappointed that Scott is currently unavailable after picking up an injury on international duty. The star is expected to be sidelined for more than a month, but that will give him time to get up to speed for January.
“I’m not a doctor,” Rose said to Scott’s failure. “Muscle injury. We’ll take pictures in a few days, but we’ll miss him for 4-5 weeks. I’m very disappointed and it’s a big loss.”
Rose added: “It’s disappointing. I don’t want to blame anyone. We’re very happy to have him in England. He’s done well.”