Manchester United remain linked with a move for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott in 2027, but it appears that the player could end up elsewhere. The English midfielder was on the Red Devils’ wish list in the summer following an impressive run with the Cherries.
Scott registered four goals and one assist in 39 appearances across competitions, and was identified as a possible heir to the outgoing Casemiro at Old Trafford.
However, United opted to sign Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba instead in a bid to revamp their midfield. Unfortunately, none of them has managed to live up to expectations so far.
United still lack control in midfield
Michael Carrick started the season with Santos and Tielemans as his midfield axis, before Kobbie Mainoo replaced the Brazilian in the middle of the park. The Belgian has been a constant for the Red Devils so far, while Santos has been in and out of the team.
Meanwhile, Baleba missed the beginning of the campaign with an ankle injury, and has only recently returned to full fitness. However, United’s midfield has lacked creativity and drive so far this season, with the team managing just two wins in 12 games across all competitions.
| Stat | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | 2026/27 | 2026/27 | 2026/27 | 2026/27 |
| Club | Manchester United | Manchester United | Manchester United | Manchester United |
| Competition | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
| Apps | 8 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Minutes | 592 | 201 | 90 | 883 |
| Starts | 8 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Sub appearances | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-penalty goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Assists | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Stat | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goals + assists | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Minutes per goal | – | – | – | – |
| Avg rating | 7.01 | 6.79 | 7.31 | 6.99 |
| Shots | 5 | 1 | 4 | 10 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Shot accuracy % | 60.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 40.0% |
| Conversion % | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Passes | 416 | 124 | 56 | 596 |
| Pass accuracy % | 88.0% | 87.0% | 91.0% | 88.1% |
| Key passes | 10 | 6 | 1 | 17 |
| Stat | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dribbles attempted | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| Dribbles completed | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Dribble success % | 28.6% | 33.3% | 66.7% | 38.5% |
| Tackles | 13 | 2 | 4 | 19 |
| Interceptions | 8 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Tackles + interceptions | 21 | 4 | 4 | 29 |
| Blocks | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Duels | 71 | 14 | 15 | 100 |
| Duels won | 36 | 8 | 11 | 55 |
| Duels won % | 50.7% | 57.1% | 73.3% | 55.0% |
The Red Devils are now 16th in the Premier League table after eight games, with Carrick’s position increasingly under scrutiny. Scott, meanwhile, started the season well but is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Nevertheless, recent reports suggest that he remains on United’s radar ahead of the January transfer window, although Bournemouth are likely to demand £100 million for his signature. However, another significant update has now emerged in the saga, which could be a huge blow for the Red Devils.
Chelsea confident of Scott move
According to talkSPORT, Chelsea are confident of securing the services of Scott at the turn of the year. The report states: “Chelsea are growing increasingly confident of signing Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott in January.”
The update will be bad news for United, who may not have the funds to ignite a bidding war with the Blues in the winter transfer window. The report confirms that Bournemouth are expected to demand £100 million, and that Chelsea are ready to match that amount.
The Red Devils, meanwhile, are expected to invest heavily in the backline at the turn of the year. As such, all signs indicate that they are set to miss out on the Englishman.
Final Thoughts
United’s midfield revamp does not appear to have had the desired impact on the first team, although it may be too soon to rule out Baleba and Co. However, the midfield cannot be a priority in January.
Instead, the Red Devils must reinforce their backline without fail at the turn of the year.
The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment
Overall credibility: 5/10
Why?
✅ Scott has been linked with an exit from Bournemouth for a while.
⚠️ The Cherries may not be too keen to let him go in mid-season.
TPP view
We believe that while Scott is likely to generate interest in January, Bournemouth could prefer a summer exit instead.
Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images
