Manchester United have reportedly done groundwork to sign AFC Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, who is also a priority target for Chelsea this summer.
The Red Devils have made midfield reinforcement their main focus following the departure of Casemiro and a serious knee injury suffered by Manuel Ugarte.
United have already moved to strengthen their engine room by signing Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa this transfer window.
Despite those additions, the club are reportedly planning to bring in a third midfielder and have identified Scott as a serious option to fill that role.
Chelsea remain the frontrunners in the race for Scott’s signature, having already submitted a £64 million proposal that Bournemouth firmly rejected.
The Cherries have made clear they have no intention of selling Scott, who is contracted to the club until 2028, making any deal extremely difficult to complete.
Scott, who is 22 years old, is a right-footed box-to-box midfielder who is also capable of operating in a deeper defensive midfield role when required.
The Englishman is described as quick, strong, and technically sound, with the ability to dribble past defenders in tight areas and play passes between the lines.
After joining Bournemouth from Bristol City, Scott needed time to settle before producing his best form last season, making five goal contributions in 39 appearances across all competitions.
Those performances helped Bournemouth qualify for next season’s Europa League, further raising his profile and increasing interest from clubs at the top end of the Premier League.
United currently have Santos, Tielemans, and Kobbie Mainoo as options in the deeper midfield positions, with Mason Mount also able to provide cover in that area.
However, having qualified for the Champions League, the Old Trafford club require greater depth in midfield to handle a significantly busier fixture schedule next season.
Scott would represent a long-term investment given his age and potential, and either United or Chelsea will be hoping to convince Bournemouth to sell during this window.
Whether it is the Old Trafford club or the West London side that ultimately secures his services remains one of the more intriguing transfer battles of the summer.