Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott has turned down a new contract offer, handing encouragement to a string of Premier League clubs tracking the England Under-21 international.
The Cherries have made extending Scott’s deal one of their main priorities this summer, but negotiations have yet to produce an agreement. Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Chelsea all remain interested in the 22-year-old, whose current contract has two years left to run.
BBC Sport reported in June that Bournemouth rejected an approach from Arsenal for the former Bristol City midfielder. Despite the failed contract talks, the south coast club remain adamant Scott will not be sold.
Bournemouth have maintained the same message publicly, privately to the player and in discussions with interested clubs, insisting Scott will stay even if he enters the new season on his existing deal. The club have also continued to dismiss enquiries despite reports placing an £80 million valuation on the midfielder.
The Europa League qualifiers are in a strong financial position after raising substantial funds from last summer’s departures of Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, Illia Zabarnyi and Dango Outtara. That has strengthened their resolve to keep hold of key players.
Bournemouth are adopting the same approach with highly-rated forward Junior Kroupi, who has attracted interest from Arsenal and Tottenham. Brazil international Rayan is also expected to remain after arriving in January and has given no indication he wants to leave.
Scott and Kroupi are currently with new manager Marco Rose’s squad at their pre-season training camp in Austria, while Rayan is due to link up later after representing Brazil at the World Cup.
Scott earned his first England senior squad call-up last November and was included in Thomas Tuchel’s extended pre-World Cup training camp in Florida. He is still waiting to make his senior international debut.
The midfielder market has been one of the busiest this summer. Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is close to completing a £116 million move to Manchester City, while Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is on the verge of a £117 million switch to Chelsea. Tottenham have already spent £100 million on Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali and £85 million on West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
Scott joined Bristol City from Guernsey FC in 2020 before making 91 appearances for the Championship side. After being named the division’s Young Player of the Season in 2022-23, he secured a £25 million move to Bournemouth in 2023.
Since arriving at the Vitality Stadium, Scott has made 89 appearances and scored six goals, playing a key role as Bournemouth finished sixth under Andoni Iraola in the 2025-26 campaign to secure European football for the first time in the club’s history.
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