Chelsea failed to sign a replacement for Enzo Fernandez in the summer transfer window, as deadline-day moves for Lamine Camara and Manu Kone collapsed. This left them short of options in midfield, with Moises Caicedo now starting alongside 36-year-old Jordan Henderson.

The Blues have been working behind the scenes to find a solution ahead of the January transfer window, and they appear to have made a breakthrough. While the two clubs have not agreed anything, Chelsea appear to have won the race to sign Bournemouth’s Alex Scott this winter.

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Bournemouth owner makes telling admission about Alex Scott’s Chelsea future

Alex Scott was heavily linked with a move away from Bournemouth this summer, but the Cherries refused to sell him for anything less than a huge transfer fee. Scott helped the club secure a record seventh-place finish in the Premier League, qualifying for the Conference League for the first time.

Scott was also named in England’s preliminary squad for their two friendlies ahead of the 2026 World Cup and impressed head coach Thomas Tuchel. The England international had made a bright start to the 2026/27 season before suffering a minor thigh injury.

Scott remains on Liverpool’s radar, where he would reunite with former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, but he appears more excited by the prospect of working with Xabi Alonso. Cherries owner Bill Foley has all but confirmed that the midfielder wants to work under the Liverpool and Real Madrid legend at Stamford Bridge.

“I don’t want to sell anyone at any time,” Foley explained regarding Scott’s situation at Bournemouth. “I have to defer to Tiago [Pinto], my president of football, and he comes to me with his ideas and plans.

“At this point, we’re convinced we’re the right place for Alex to be. We’ll keep on addressing contract issues with Alex as we move through this year. We’d love to have Alex stay here and sign a new contract and be part of this team long haul, and we’re still working on it.

“We haven’t given up, but sometimes players get stars in their eyes, and they think that Chelsea is the right place to go, or Man City. I hated to lose [Antoine] Semenyo. What a great guy he was.”

Foley naming Chelsea is a clear sign that Scott is interested in a move to West London. He had little reason to mention them, as unlike Man City, the Blues have not previously signed any of Bournemouth’s best players. Meanwhile, City must not be an option for Scott after they signed Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi this summer.

This could pave the way for the 23-year-old, who has less than two years remaining on his Bournemouth contract, to join Chelsea this winter. Scott will cost significantly less than Morgan Rogers’ £117 million fee, but it could take as much as £100m to prise him away from the south coast.