Could Chelsea eye a huge January deal to bolster their midfield?
Would Chelsea be prepared to splash the cash for Alex Scott in January?More Videos
Chelsea have received a major update on Bournemouth's stance regarding the future of England international Alex Scott.
The 23-year-old, who is currently sidelined due to a thigh injury sustained during England's 7-0 win over Croatia in the Nations League, has been the subject of strong interest from several Premier League clubs.
Chelsea were one of the strong candidates lining up to sign Scott, and they even made a bid of around £64 million, rejected for the Bournemouth star in the summer.
Scott has entered the final two years of his contract at the Vitality Stadium, with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2028.
Bournemouth have seen several contract offers rejected by Scott, who looks set to be on his way out of the Cherries,
When Scott will leave Bournemouth remains unclear, but Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport has offered a huge update, which will leave Chelsea with a big decision to make.
It's reported that after a final round of talks with Scott's representatives, senior sources suggest the Cherries are willing to sanction Scott's sale if a significant offer arrives in January.
Given that the prices for midfielders have been in excess of £100m in the summer, Bournemouth will be confident of recouping a marquee fee for their prized asset.
However, it has been suggested that if they are struggling towards the bottom of the Premier League, then the club may decide they need Scott for the remainder of the campaign to help secure their top-flight status.
Marco Rose's side remain without a league win to their name after six games this season, with Chelsea thrashing the Cherries 5-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
Should Chelsea be interested in signing Scott in January, they could face competition from Liverpool, who are reported to still be interested.
The BBC claim Chelsea have previously had encouragement from Scott's representatives to pursue a deal for the midfielder.
Are Chelsea likely to make a move for Alex Scott in January?
Given Chelsea's attempts to sign a midfielder in the summer, Xabi Alonso's side are likely to make a move in January if a deal makes sense.
Their failed, but expected pursuit of Scott in the summer proved they were prepared to test the waters early. Meanwhile, they showed intent in bringing a central midfielder in through AS Monaco's Lamine Camara, a deal which fell through at the 11th hour.
Alonso's Blues have already suffered injury problems in midfield this term. Moises Caicedo, who has since returned, has been absent, while Reece James is nursing a knee injury.
It has currently left Alonso with Jordan Henderson, Valentin Barco and Romeo Lavia as the available midfield options alongside Caicedo.
Scott's availability will interest Chelsea, but would they be prepared to meet Bournemouth's asking price? If they decide to pursue a deal, they'll likely see if they can get it done for less than £100m.