There could be a real transfer tussle for the signature of Bournemouth and England midfielder Alex Scott this winter.
Bournemouth had planned to keep Scott until the end of the season. However, it was recently reported that the Cherries could sell Scott in the January transfer window.
This is good news for Chelsea, who have been chasing the 23-year-old since the summer. They are likely to face competition for his signature, but there is something that their rival suitors have accepted.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea’s rivals have acknowledged that the Blues’ need for Scott is the greatest. Midfield has been a problem for Chelsea this season, and it seems that has not gone unnoticed.
Image of Bournemouth's Alex Scott looking off camera during a match against Liverpool, with a news overlay about him potentially being on sale in January
Photo by David Horton – CameraSport via Getty Images
Moises Caicedo and Jordan Henderson are performing well together right now, but before that, none of Chelsea’s other double pivots were working. Xabi Alonso had tried various combinations while Caicedo was out injured — like Romeo Lavia and Reece James — but nothing really had the desired effect.
Chelsea’s matches were like NBA games, frantic and end-to-end due to a lack of control from the midfield. Chelsea sold Enzo Fernandez in the summer and failed to replace him, which has not helped.
Chelsea were keen on AS Monaco’s Lamine Camara and Scott but could not get a deal over the line for either. They will now be hopeful of a different outcome once the transfer window reopens.
Until then, Alonso will have to continue relying on Caicedo, Henderson and Lavia. James is no longer an option because of his latest injury.
There is also Valentin Barco, but he does not have the kind of Premier League experience that the others possess. The Argentine has made just nine appearances in the competition after also spending some time at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Clearly, Chelsea need at least one new midfielder in January, which everyone seems to have acknowledged.