Chelsea shown Alex Scott signing 'pathway' as talks confirmed

29 Sept 2026 19:03 BST | 2 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

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Bournemouth remain locked in contract talks with Chelsea target Alex Scott.

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The England star is set to be one of the Premier League's most in-demand players in 2027. Scott already fielded interest from numerous suitors this summer, but Bournemouth managed to successfully keep hold of him.

The South Coast club rebuffed all approaches for the 23-year-old, including one from Chelsea that would have seen the Stamford Bridge outfit pay more than €60 million for the midfielder.

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€35.5M - €59.1M

With the Blues having failed to replace Enzo Fernandez in the summer, they are expected to make a signing for the engine room next year, and their interest in Scott persists. BBC journalist Nizaar Kinsella has confirmed that Chelsea are "open" to the idea of making a January signing.

However, wanting to make a signing and actually successfully doing so are two very different matters. Indeed, there is an awareness that high-profile players like Scott are unlikely to be available mid-season.

Bournemouth continue contract efforts

Last week, it was reported that Bournemouth's not-for-sale stance on their star midfielder would remain unchanged throughout January. Naturally, the Cherries do not want to lose Scott in the midst of their first Europa League campaign.

A summer transfer is therefore the most likely scenario, although Chelsea could try to pre-agree a deal so as not to be beaten to the punch. They are far from the only club interested in the 23-year-old, with his former Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola keen to bring him to Liverpool.

It is doubtful that Bournemouth would be willing to consider a pre-agreement, though, given that this would preclude a summer bidding war and prevent them from extracting maximum value from his sale.

Moreover, the Cherries have not yet given up on the idea of handing Scott a new contract, according to TEAMtalk. They have been trying to get him to agree to fresh terms since at least the spring, but he has so far rebuffed all proposals.

Despite the repeated rejections, discussions between Bournemouth and Scott's representatives remain ongoing. As has been known for some time, the club would be ready to offer him a release clause in order to wrap up this new deal.

Obviously, this would be a major concession from the club and would make them powerless to stop him from leaving, but a new contract could, in theory, give them a better chance to keep hold of Scott at least beyond January.

Last summer, Bournemouth managed to successfully keep Antoine Semenyo for an additional six months by handing him improved terms with a release clause. They want to employ a similar strategy with Scott, while giving him a clear "pathway" to the big move he desires.

A new contract would also serve as protection against unforeseen circumstances. Should Scott, for whatever reason, fail to secure a transfer in 2027, there wouldn't be the risk of losing him for nothing in 2028, as is currently the case.

That's why getting this new deal tied up is crucial for the club, even if it means handing him a release clause.