What Chelsea must do to sign Alex Scott after Bournemouth owner's transfer update

Chelsea indispensable not marque a determination for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott earlier deciding connected the futures of their ain engine-room enforcers, a Blues fable has exclusively told Sports Mole.

Chelsea are believed to person identified Scott arsenic their starring January transportation target, aft trying and failing to lure the England planetary distant from the Vitality Stadium during the summertime transportation window.

Chelsea are supposedly 'completely focused' connected signing Scott implicit the winter, though Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United person not yet fixed up anticipation of winning the contention either.

Bournemouth proprietor Bill Foley precocious delivered an update connected Scott's future, insisting that the Cherries person not fixed up anticipation of tying him to a caller woody beyond 2028, but admitting that young players tin sometimes get "stars successful their eyes".

Asked by Sports Mole whether Scott could capable Enzo Fernandez's boots astatine Chelsea, Gus Poyet gave the transportation his seal of support but implored his erstwhile nine to benignant retired which of their midfielders tin beryllium moved connected first.

What Chelsea indispensable bash earlier signing Alex Scott

"I similar the player," Poyet said. "I person look him a batch and I deliberation helium is simply a precise bully player. Chelsea request to archetypal determine connected the players astatine the nine first, earlier looking to motion anyone else.

"They person to determine what the aboriginal is arsenic they person Caicedo, Lavia, James and others successful the centre of midfield, truthful they indispensable place who volition beryllium the main starters and past determination guardant connected whether Scott is the subordinate they privation and past who volition past determination on."

Scott antecedently spent 1 play successful the Bournemouth academy betwixt 2016 and 2017, earlier making a sanction for himself astatine Bristol City and earning a instrumentality to the Cherries successful 2023 for £19.2m.

The midfielder has since scored 7 goals and acceptable up 7 much for Bournemouth crossed each tournaments, portion winning his archetypal 2 elder England caps during the September/October planetary break.

However, it was connected Scott's archetypal commencement for England against Croatia that helium aggravated his hamstring injury, and it remains to beryllium seen if helium is selected for Thomas Tuchel's November squad.

What is the concern with Chelsea's existent midfielders?

Chelsea presently person 5 recognised cardinal midfielders connected the books successful Moises Caicedo, Valentin Barco, Jordan Henderson, Romeo Lavia and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, portion Reece James and Malo Gusto tin capable successful if required.

The fledgling Nicoll-Jazuli is lone 16 years of age, though, and volition apt walk different 2 oregon 3 years either processing with the younker squad oregon retired connected indebtedness careless of whether Chelsea motion Scott.

Henderson - 20 years Nicoll-Jazuli's elder - is lone nether declaration until 2028, astatine which constituent helium volition beryllium 38 years old, and it is hard to envisage the Englishman sticking astir for longer than 24 months.

Meanwhile, Barco and Caicedo's contracts tally to 2033, portion the injury-plagued Lavia is tied down to 2030 and has shown signs of a revival alongside Caicedo successful caller weeks.

If Scott were to get successful January, the 23-year-old should instantly conflict Lavia to spouse Caicedo successful Xabi Alonso's motor room, with Barco and Henderson providing youthful and experienced backup options.

Gus Poyet was speaking to Sports Mole connected behalf of William Hill sports betting.