Manchester United Target Alex Scott After Contract Rejection
Manchester United’s pursuit of Alex Scott has taken a significant step forward after the Bournemouth midfielder rejected a new contract at the Vitality Stadium.
The 22-year-old, already one of the most talked-about young midfielders in the Premier League, has turned down fresh terms with the Cherries, sharpening the sense that this could be the summer he moves on.
United’s midfield rebuild gathers pace
United have already moved decisively in the market, with Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans arriving to reshape the core of Michael Carrick’s side. Carrick wants a third piece for his midfield, someone who can knit the game together and grow with the project. Scott sits firmly in that bracket.
He is not the only name on the list. AS Roma’s Manu Kone is another serious option under consideration. But the dynamic around Scott has shifted. A contract running until 2028 gives Bournemouth leverage, yet a refusal to extend it hands United a window they were waiting for.
Arsenal have been linked with both Scott and Kone, but their energy is currently directed towards Bruno Guimaraes. If that remains the case, United could find themselves with a clear run at one of their preferred targets.
Price of potential
Bournemouth have so far held firm. Scott is under a long-term deal, and talk of a release clause being built into a new contract has gone nowhere with his camp rejecting the offer. With no clause in place, the expectation is that any deal would land around the £60 million mark.
In this market, that figure is already being framed as value. Triple-figure moves elsewhere this summer for the likes of Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Morgan Rogers have reset the scale at the very top end. Against that backdrop, £60m for a 22-year-old with Scott’s ceiling is being viewed by some clubs as an opportunity rather than a deterrent.
Chelsea are among those keeping close tabs. They are already bringing in Morgan Rogers and still wrestling with the future of Enzo Fernandez, whose stock soared again after a standout World Cup. Scott is on their radar, even if United’s need in midfield feels more urgent.
A crowded market, a narrowing field
Kone, another player on United’s list, also used the World Cup stage to underline his quality, starting four times for France and often nudging ahead of Aurelien Tchouameni in Didier Deschamps’ thinking. Tchouameni is now expected to sign a new deal at Real Madrid, taking one long-term United target off the table and pushing focus back onto alternatives like Scott and Kone.
At Bournemouth, Scott is not the only player attracting glances from Old Trafford. Tyler Adams has also been linked with a move, though interest in Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba has cooled, trimming down United’s shortlist in the engine room.
Carrick and the recruitment team are juggling more than just midfield, too. Wide forward options such as Crysencio Summerville and Iliman Ndiaye are being tracked, but any aggressive move is paused for now. The reason sits closer to home.
Rashford question hangs over attack
Marcus Rashford’s future looms large over United’s attacking plans. The 28-year-old is set to be reintegrated into the squad after loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona. He had pushed for a permanent switch to Barça, but that route has all but closed with Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi arriving there this summer.
If Rashford stays and reclaims a central role, the urgency to add another attacker drops. If the situation twists again, United may yet be forced back into that part of the market before the window closes.
For now, the clearest movement is in midfield, and Scott sits at the heart of it. A rejected contract at Bournemouth, a defined price range, rivals distracted by other priorities, and a manager at Old Trafford intent on building a new core.
United’s pre-season has already begun, with a strong side surprisingly turned over by Wrexham last week. Norwegian club Rosenborg are next, followed by tests against Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. Those games will give Carrick more information about what he has.
The bigger question is what he will be given. Will Alex Scott be in red by the time the serious football starts?
