Arsenal join race for £100m midfielder amid Merino exit talk
Arsenal have entered the race for Alex Scott this winter, joining Chelsea and Liverpool in pursuit of the Bournemouth midfielder, despite the south coast club holding out for a fee in the region of £100million. According to football.london, the Gunners were already keen on the 23 year old England international back in the summer, only for Bournemouth to make clear he was not for sale at that stage.
The situation has since shifted. Earlier this season it emerged that Bournemouth are now willing to listen to offers for Scott after he turned down a new contract. With less than 18 months left on his deal, the Cherries are reportedly keen to extract maximum value in one of the next two transfer windows, wary of repeating the situation Crystal Palace found themselves in with Marc Guehi back in January.
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Where would Scott fit?
Scott is a more attacking midfielder than Martin Zubimendi, and his profile would overlap more with Mikel Merino and potentially Eberechi Eze, who, despite often playing from the left, is understood to prefer a central attacking role.
Zubimendi himself has been linked with a possible exit, but he pushed back on that speculation firmly, insisting he remains focused on fighting his way back into Mikel Arteta's first team plans. football.london reported on Tuesday, ahead of his interview with Marca, that the Spaniard is still highly valued both within the club and by Arteta.
Merino, meanwhile, has also been tipped for a possible departure, with under 18 months remaining on his own contract in north London. Given his age and contract situation, his resale value would likely be modest, raising the possibility that Scott could eventually be lined up as a long term replacement.
Can Arsenal afford it?
The scale of investment required raises obvious questions. Arsenal are also being linked with forward targets including Eli Junior Kroupi and Antonio Nusa, both of whom would command significant fees of their own, making it difficult to see how a £100million outlay on a midfielder would be prioritised alongside reinforcing the attack.
There is financial context that works in Arsenal's favour. The club remain favourites to retain the Premier League title and are expected to push deep into the Champions League, both of which would generate further revenue. The summer also brought a club record sale when Gabriel Martinelli left for £60million.
There is little doubt Scott is viewed as a serious talent, and with potential turnover in Arsenal's midfield on the horizon, the interest makes sense on paper. Whether a deal anywhere near Bournemouth's valuation is realistic, particularly with other priorities in the squad, remains the more pressing question as the winter window approaches.
