Chelsea needed to sign midfielders this summer for new coach Xabi Alonso after letting go of Andrey Santos and Enzo Fernandez.
Unfortunately, the Blues couldn’t bring any of the high-profile names they wanted to Stamford Bridge, settling with Valentin Barco and Jordan Henderson.
Chelsea reportedly tried to sign Granit Xhaka, Lamine Camara, and James Garner but failed. They also failed with multiple moves for Alex Scott.
The Blues made several offers for his services, but Bournemouth refused to let him leave, even though he’ll have only a year left on his deal this summer.
Chelsea are still tracking Scott and lead the race to sign him. It may be impossible to snap him up in January, but a move is almost certainly on the cards next summer.
Unfortunately, according to talkSPORT, the Chelsea target suffered an injury that could rule him out for two months.
He suffered the quadriceps issue on duty with England. He made his Three Lions debut in the 7-0 thrashing of Croatia, playing through pain.
🚨 Alex Scott out of England squad & returning to Bournemouth through injury. 23yo shone on 1st #ENG start but now sidelined by quadriceps issue; checks ongoing amid fears of 2mnth absence. Blow to midfielder + #AFCB with Kroupi also missing @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/r4TovZzxeK
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) October 5, 2026
The news will come as a big blow to his club as they prepare to take on Chelsea in the Premier League. Scott is influential in the engine room.
Chelsea need to rethink spending big on Scott
Scott’s latest setback should also make Chelsea think carefully before committing big money to the England international midfielder.
The 23-year-old is undoubtedly a talented player with the qualities to thrive under Alonso, but this is now the third serious injury he has suffered in his young career.
That is a concern Chelsea cannot simply overlook when deciding how much they are willing to pay for his signature.
Injuries are an unavoidable part of football, but the Blues must be certain they are making a sensible long-term investment rather than taking an unnecessary gamble.
With that in mind, Chelsea should remain open to alternatives.
Xhaka could offer valuable experience, physicality and leadership in midfield, while Camara represents a younger option with significant potential.