Chelsea lead reported pursuit of Bournemouth's Alex Scott

Chelsea are reported to be leading the pursuit of Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, with Arsenal and Liverpool also monitoring him and Real Madrid considering whether to join the race. No current formal offer has been confirmed, and reports say Bournemouth do not intend to sell the 23-year-old in January. The account of Chelsea’s position is attributed to The Telegraph. A separate report, citing unnamed sources, says Real Madrid have watched Scott at least three times, including during Bournemouth’s Europa League match against Real Sociedad last month and England’s 7-0 Nations League win over Croatia on Saturday. Madrid is considering whether to step up its interest, but the reported scouting does not amount to a confirmed bid. Scott made his first start for England in the victory over Croatia, after previously appearing as a substitute against the Czech Republic. The performance has drawn attention to the Bournemouth midfielder, who joined the club from Bristol City in August 2023. Reports describe him as a target for Chelsea, while Arsenal and Liverpool are also said to be interested. Chelsea reportedly had a summer bid for Scott rejected by Bournemouth.