REUTERS/Scott Heppell
Manchester United must continue to pursue one of their reported summer transfer targets in Alex Scott. Michael Carrick managed to get his three new midfielders during the summer window, snapping up Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba, with the latter having been a target for some time before ultimately completing his £70million move.
For the most part, United wanted to upgrade their midfield, but Baleba arrived to replace the physicality of Casemiro in the deep role, and that's something Carrick will have felt he couldn't go without.
United were linked with a number of midfielders through the course of the window, and one of them was AFC Bournemouth star Alex Scott, who was priced out of a move this summer, with the Cherries in Europe and in a good position to keep their top players, but he is very likely to be on the move next summer.
Chelsea have been linked with a move for the dynamic midfielder, but United must ensure they are in the race. Scott is a class act, and he showed it again on Saturday afternoon, when Bournemouth drew with Newcastle United away from home. The midfielder is constantly in the thick of the action, demanding the ball and breaking through the lines, and he really is one of those players who is everywhere on the pitch, notably popping up to force an own goal in the first half in the Newcastle game.
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At just 23 years of age, Scott has a real maturity on and off the ball that is pretty rare in midfielders who are given so much responsibility at such a young age. Even amid all the hype, he has the attitude of needing and wanting to improve, and we are already seeing it this season, despite some perhaps expecting a drop-off, especially after Andoni Iraola left Bournemouth.
There is little doubting that Scott will be seen as a prize transfer next summer, and United may not be desperate for a midfielder ahead of next season, but Scott is going to be an upgrade on Mason Mount or someone else, and they should already be lining up a move.
What Rose has said about Scott
Marco Rose
AFC Bournemouth boss, Marco Rose, who arrived to replace Iraola in the summer, said of Scott recently: "You know, it is what it is. We know this business. He played a top season, but I think even Alex knows what he learned from this club, what he got from this club.
“We show we know what we get from him, so we support him to play another brilliant season. He’s keen to play another brilliant season. He’s still young enough to [take] big steps because, to be honest, I see no ceiling in his capabilities.”