Bournemouth block January exit for £64m-rated Arsenal target

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Arsenal have been put on notice over one of their reported midfield targets, with Bournemouth refusing to entertain any offers for Alex Scott in January.

According to BBC Sport's Sami Mokbel and Nizaar Kinsella, the Cherries have already warned interested clubs that they will not welcome contact over a move until their league objectives have either been achieved or are no longer attainable.

That stance applies to other key men too, with the report stating Bournemouth would also rebuff approaches for striker Eli Junior Kroupi, currently sidelined through injury, and winger Rayan.

A contract situation worth watching

The timing is what makes this one interesting. Scott, who turned 23 this year, will be into the final 18 months of his contract when the January window opens, and BBC Sport report that two renewal offers have already been turned down.

The same report adds that Scott pushed to leave the Vitality Stadium during the summer window, only for the club to hold firm. He has since knuckled down on the south coast and, per the report, has shown no signs of discontent — though he is understood to ultimately want a move to one of England's biggest clubs.

His stock has only risen. Scott made his senior England debut in Wednesday's 2-0 Nations League win away to Czechia, a milestone that will do nothing to cool the interest building around him.

Arsenal face familiar competition

BBC Sport name Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool as the Premier League clubs known to hold an interest. Manchester City and Manchester United both strengthened in midfield over the summer and are not expected to revive their pursuit.

Chelsea are the club with the most visible track record here. The report states they saw a £64m bid for Scott rejected in the summer, then missed out on Monaco's Lamine Camara on deadline day, held talks over Roma's Manu Kone and expressed interest in Fulham's Sander Berge. They remain keen on adding a midfielder.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have a potential edge of their own. The report notes that manager Andoni Iraola is thought to have a positive relationship with Scott from their time together at Bournemouth, with the Anfield club targeting a midfielder in future windows and retaining an interest in Camara.

Bournemouth's leverage is straightforward: they are competing on four fronts this season, including a first-ever European campaign in the Europa League. Selling a first-choice midfielder mid-season would cut across all of it.

The £64m benchmark set by Chelsea's rejected summer bid gives Arsenal a rough idea of the outlay required — though a player entering the final 18 months of his deal is a different proposition to one with longer left to run.

For now, the door is shut. Arsenal's sporting department will know that the summer, rather than January, is where this one is likely to be decided.