Chelsea were quoted a £100 million price for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, prompting interest in Brighton’s rising star Yasin Ayari. Changing their transfer target could save the Blues millions and give them a better player. Here’s why.

Xabi Alonso’s side are hunting a new central midfield star, and while Scott has rapidly gained traction thanks to his strong performances for the Cherries, signing him promises to be a laborious task.

Bournemouth have put a £100m tag on the England international, and while there is some justification in their stance due to the rarity of his profile, switching to Ayari, which TeamTalk suggests is a possibility, may prove a smarter long-term decision for the Stamford Bridge giants.

Why Ayari and Scott are special talents

Ayari and Scott both belong to a select group of midfielders who boast both a good current level and high long-term potential, according to data analytics firm SciSports’ SciSkill measure. This is calculated using hundreds of in-game data points.

On top of this, they are part of an even more select group who are not cemented in the starting XIs at big clubs and who could, therefore, be available for transfer in 2027.

Furthermore, the Sweden international is one of only three players on that list, along with Scott and Brentford’s Yegor Yarmolyuk, who are box-to-box players in their playing style.

It’s worth noting here that Ayari is not only considered to be a better player than Scott currently, but he is projected to have a higher ceiling and has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of approximately €20m less.

The reasoning for Ayari’s lesser transfer fee is his contract situation. His deal with Brighton expires at the end of the season, though the Seagulls do have the option to extend it, and it must be assumed that they will. Nevertheless, the uncertainty over his long-term future is likely to keep his price down and the likelihood is that his price remains below Scott’s, despite his stronger rating.

Chelsea in a strong position to negotiate a deal

Ayari looks a good fit for Chelsea, who were left short of a central midfielder in the summer when they sold Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City but missed out Monaco’s Lamine Camara on a dramatic Deadline Day.

In terms of playing time, style and formation, the Blues represent a strong fit for the 23-year-old, with doubts only lingering over his potential development.

Chelsea stand a good chance of being able to overcome those concerns with the history attached to the club and the security that they can offer Ayari both in terms of contract size and lengthy.

Ayari may not have the profile of Scott, but the evidence suggests he could be the smarter signing for the Blues.