Manchester United are poised to turn their attention to Bournemouth star Alex Scott after missing out on West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
The Red Devils were determined to bring Fernandes to Old Trafford and were locked in negotiations with the Hammers. However, they could not find a suitable agreement with the Championship outfit.
United were willing to almost match the Hammers’ £85 million valuation for the midfielder, but they had proposed a much lower initial fee with several add-ons to reach the transfer figure.
On the other hand, Spurs were prepared to guarantee the asking price without bonuses. Fernandes has now chosen to join the north London outfit and should undergo his medical soon.
United now need to pursue an alternative target, and Jacobs claims that they are ‘set to explore’ Scott, who could be prised away for around £80m during the ongoing transfer window.
Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are also admirers of the England youth international.
Scott would be a good acquisition
The 22-year-old had a big 2025/26 season with the Cherries in the Premier League. He played in a deeper midfield position during the first half of the campaign after an injury crisis at Bournemouth.
Scott continued to impress from the role and earned a call-up to the England national side prior to the World Cup. He did not make his debut but looks poised to feature for the Three Lions soon.
In our view, Scott has a different profile from Fernandes, who is more defensive-minded. Still, he would be a good acquisition, given his impressive ball-carrying ability from the heart of the midfield.
Scott won five duels per league game last season with 1.6 tackles and 5.3 recoveries. He exhibited a tireless work rate and also made more than two clearances per appearance for the Cherries.
Bournemouth prefer to keep him with a new contract and a release clause, but his reluctance to renew could pave the way for an exit, given he has less than two years left on his current deal.
The Cherries are eyeing around £80m for his services. That figure may not drop due to the fierce interest, but United could seek to negotiate add-ons to lower the initial fee for the player.
Unlike West Ham, Bournemouth are in a strong financial position. They could be prepared to discuss favourable payment terms if Scott decides to commit to join United this summer.
Stats from Sofascore.com
