Manchester United are considering launching an onslaught for Alex Scott, as the road to signing Aurelien Tchouameni could be uphill.
The Red Devils have all but acquired the services of Atalanta’s Ederson, but they still need another two midfielders to make up for Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s long-term injury.
Over the past 24 hours or so, growing reports have been claiming that Man Utd have accelerated their plans to bring in Tchouameni.
Man United risk missing out on Tchouameni, will turn to Alex Scott
On Monday evening, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano insisted that Man Utd are indeed interested in Tchouameni. However, he revealed that the deal hinges on two factors: The player’s willingness to lower his salary, and Real Madrid opening up to a sale.
According to The Sun journalist Samuel Luckhurst, United hasn’t been able to overcome either hurdle.
The Manchester United correspondent believes Tchouameni will command a salary close to Casemiro’s £350k per week. Moreover, Jose Mourinho would like to keep the French international in the Spanish capital.
Tchouameni was infamously involved in a training-ground spat that ended with Federico Valverde rushed to the hospital. And yet, the Special One, who has been entrusted with restoring locker-room unity, considers him part of his plans for next season.
Therefore, Luckhurst expects Man Utd to resort to other midfield profiles, namely Alex Scott, who has been on the club’s radar for quite some time.
Bournemouth are seeking at least £80 million to release the England international, and the source believes Man Utd haven’t ruled out matching this asking price.
Why Man Utd could strike a favourable deal with Bournemouth for Scott
Following Elliot Anderson’s £116 million transfer to Manchester City, which was closely followed by Mateus Fernandes’ £85 million move to Tottenham, the midfielders’ market in the Premier League has been massively inflated. Hence, Bournemouth’s new valuation for Scott is hardly surprising.
At this stage, Man Utd can no longer resist the trend, as they have already missed out on multiple main targets because they felt they were being overcharged, while their rivals were happy to pay a king’s ransom to fulfil their needs.
| Scott’s Stats | Percentiles |
| Touches | 58% |
| Chances created | 47% |
| Shot attempts | 78% |
| Aerial duels won | 71% |
| Goals | 64% |
| Defensive contributions | 84% |
(Stats via FotMob)
Nevertheless, INEOS might be able to negotiate a more favourable price, as Scott has reportedly turned down the Cherries’ contract renewal offer.
With his current deal expiring in June 2028, the new Europa League boys risk losing their leverage, so they might end up settling for a lower transfer fee.
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