Liverpool are believed to be in pole position to complete the signing of Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, ahead of a possible reunion with Andoni Iraola.
The Reds hope to enjoy a successful new period with Iraola at the helm, with the Spaniard excelling in charge of Bournemouth, guiding them to sixth place in the Premier League in 2025/26.
A new midfielder is a must for Liverpool, with youth and quality needed there, and Scott has emerged as one of the players linked with a move to Anfield, along with Crystal Palace ace Adam Wharton.
According to a new claim from Sports Boom, the Reds are leading the battle to sign the 22-year-old, with Iraola’s arrival possibly handing them a “significant advantage in the race for his signature.”
He is seen as a “major transfer target” for Liverpool, and has been valued at £60m in the past, being seen as one of the most exciting young midfielders in the country.
Can Alex Scott make the jump from Bournemouth to Liverpool?
There is always a risk in signing a young English player, in terms of them being overhyped and given too high a price tag, but Scott feels like the real deal, having featured in 37 of Bournemouth’s 38 league games this season, starting 34 of them.
A complete box-to-box midfielder with so many more years ahead of him, Iraola clearly rates him highly, lauding his call-up for England last year:
“I am very happy for him and happy for the club because in an English club, to have someone representing your country I think is good. Especially for him but also for the club. Alex is very smart and he knows a lot of the teammates from the young [England] teams.”
Scott would provide immediate competition for Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, and Curtis Jones if he stays and doesn’t join Inter Milan, providing a combination of technical class, dynamism and leadership.
He and Wharton both stand out as fantastic options for Liverpool, and while affording both feels unlikely, it would be a shame not to see one of them at Anfield come the start of next season.