Tottenham-linked Bournemouth talent is being eyed by London rivals Chelsea.
Tottenham Hotspur managed to bolster their midfield during the summer transfer window after their £394 million spending spree.
After releasing Yves Bissouma and not activating Joao Palhinha’s loan, Spurs spent big on Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali to replace them in the middle of the park. Fernandes and Tonali arrived in N17 for a combined £185 million.
Spurs’ hunt for further midfield reinforcements saw them heavily linked with a move for Bournemouth man Alex Scott. The Lilywhites were monitoring the Englishman, who has just two years left on his deal at the Vitality Stadium. Bournemouth continued to maintain throughout the summer that the 23-year-old is not for sale, and eventually, he ended up staying at the club.
Tottenham could miss out on Bournemouth star as London rivals lead race
Alex Scott, the Cherries’ midfield engine, enjoyed a fantastic 2025/26 season, registering four goal contributions to help Bournemouth finish sixth in the table and subsequently clinch a Europa League spot. This resulted in several Premier League clubs vying for the central midfielder’s signature.
Chelsea were also keen on the former England Under-21 international and had a £64m bid rejected in July. However, their interest in the player hasn’t cooled. According to a report from TEAMtalk, the Blues have made fresh moves ahead of a potential January transfer for Scott. The West London club are leading the race to land the Bournemouth star ahead of the winter transfer window.
Scott is understood to be receptive to the idea of joining Chelsea. He would welcome the step up and the opportunity to compete at a club that harbours European ambitions. Bournemouth will not sell their valuable asset cheaply mid-season, and any agreement would require a significant fee with add-ons. The report adds Chelsea are prepared to meet those demands for a player who fits Xabi Alonso’s system.
The 23-year-old, who joined Bournemouth from Bristol City in 2023, has just less than two years left on his current deal. The player has rejected a new contract proposal that has been on the table for several months.
As for Tottenham, there are no claims about us reviving interest or rivalling Chelsea for Scott’s services in the winter transfer window. That is perhaps down to how well-stocked the North Londoners are in midfield, despite loaning out Pape Matar Sarr to Juventus late in the transfer window.
De Zerbi appears to be happy with the midfield options he has, which rules out a January move for the Bournemouth talent.