Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso applauds after the Blues' defeat to Arsenal in September
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso(Image: Marc Atkins)
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Alex Scott remains locked in talks with Bournemouth over signing a new contract at the Vitality Stadium, with Chelsea watching on from a distance.
The Blues had a £64million offer knocked back by the Cherries in July but their interest in Scott remains serious.
Sources say that the 23-year-old has turned down multiple offers over a contract extension down on the south coast but Bournemouth are still in negotiations with the midfielder and his entourage.
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Chelsea are looking to add another central midfielder after selling Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City for £125m on deadline day. The Blues were extremely close to signing Lamine Camara from AS Monaco in the final hours of the summer transfer window, but the Ligue 1 club pulled the plug at the final hurdle.
Xabi Alonso was left short in the midfield department as a result and that is why Chelsea are considering whether to re-enter the market in January.
Bournemouth are tough negotiators and are known to drive a hard bargain, so it won't be easy for Chelsea, even if Scott has two years remaining on his contract at the Vitality. The Cherries will be hoping by January an agreement has been reached with Scott and his contract situation is looking a lot better from their perspective.
Either way, given Bournemouth were adamant Scott was going nowhere over the summer - and ultimately stuck to their word - it seems unlikely they would consider a mid-season departure.
If Chelsea are serious about Scott, and sources insist they are, then next summer may be the time to pounce, but they are unlikely to have a clear run at the England international, who has multiple admirers from the Premier League's 'big six'.
Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott
Chelsea remain very interested in Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott(Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth)
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Chelsea supporters will get to see more of Scott on October 10 when the Blues return to action after the ongoing international break. Bournemouth are the visitors to Stamford Bridge in a tricky-looking test for Alonso and his squad, who are winless in their last three Premier League fixtures.
Scott has started the season in fine form for Marco Rose's Cherries, and Chelsea will be more than aware of the threat he can pose them in west London.
Alonso will be hoping to have Moises Caicedo, who has missed the majority of the early part of the new season due to a persistent calf injury, fit and available for the visit of Bournemouth but he was not spotted in any of the training photos released by Chelsea on Monday evening.
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo is struggling with a calf injury
Moises Caicedo is struggling with a calf injury(Image: Visionhaus)
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We also await to hear more on Reece James and his latest injury. The Chelsea captain suffered a hamstring issue that kept the 26-year-old out of the defeat to Brentford before the international break.