Alex Scott rejected Bournemouth’s contract offer, and that has kept Manchester United and Arsenal in the picture. Bournemouth are still pushing to keep him, though, and the club’s stance is backed by a strong season and a contract situation that still gives them leverage.

Bournemouth's position

Scott arrived at Bournemouth from Bristol City for £25 million in 2023, so this is not a case of a club being forced into an immediate sale. He still has a couple of seasons left on his existing contract, and the SI report says Bournemouth have no intention of letting him go cheaply.

That also fits the way they finished the season. Bournemouth ended 6th in the Premier League with 57 points, 13 wins, 18 draws and 7 defeats. Those are the kind of numbers that make a club harder to bully in a negotiation, especially when the player in question has not signed a fresh deal.

Scott’s form has kept his market strong too. He played 37 league games last season, and his recent Bournemouth rating average was 7.56 across his last five outings.

United and Arsenal interest

Manchester United’s interest is real, but it sits inside a wider midfield search. Fabrizio Romano said: "The two names that Man Utd internally consider as fantastic options are Aurelien Tchouameni, but I told you the problem is the salary, and at the moment no green light from Real Madrid, and also Alex Scott is also highly rated by Arsenal and by Manchester United."

That places Scott in a live queue rather than a finished chase. United have already missed out on Elliot Anderson, Matheus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, so the appeal of a younger, already-tested Premier League midfielder is clear enough. Arsenal are in the frame too, which is why Bournemouth’s rejection of the contract path does not resolve anything on its own.

Andoni Iraola put Scott’s development in direct terms: "I'm very happy, because he is becoming a very, very complete player". That is a useful summary of why the interest has not gone away. Bournemouth are trying to keep a midfielder they see as improving, while United and Arsenal are both treating him as a serious option for the summer.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →