Bournemouth slapped an £80 million valuation on Alex Scott this summer. And Manchester United haven’t flinched.
According to journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the Red Devils are still considering a formal bid despite the steep number. Scott, 22, is coming off a breakout 2025-26 season where he played 37 Premier League games and scored three goals. That kind of production from a young midfielder tends to come with a premium these days.
The kid has two years left on his Cherries contract. Bournemouth is trying to lock him into an extension, which makes sense if they want to protect their asset. But if Scott isn’t interested in signing, the math changes. Selling now at a high number might beat losing him for less later.
United’s midfield situation is pretty straightforward. Casemiro is gone. They already brought in Ederson from Atalanta, but one body isn’t enough for a team that’s back in the Champions League. The midfield depth behind Bruno Fernandes and the new guy isn’t exactly inspiring.
The valuation problem keeps coming up
This isn’t the first time United have run into sticker shock this summer. They passed on Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes because the prices didn’t match what they thought those guys were worth. Same thing could happen here if Bournemouth won’t budge.
Scott isn’t the only name on the list. Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni is being monitored. So is Chelsea’s Andrey Santos. But those are different kinds of deals — loans, maybe, or players who might not be available at all. Scott feels more attainable, even at that ridiculous price.
United’s recruitment team has been pretty disciplined about not overpaying. That’s a shift from years past where they’d just write the check and figure it out later. But discipline only works if you actually land your targets. If they keep walking away from negotiations, they’ll end up with the same shallow squad they started with.
Scott is exactly the kind of midfielder who fits what they need right now. High energy, comfortable on the ball, capable of playing in a double pivot or further forward. He’s not a flashy superstar. But he’s consistent, and consistency is what United lack in the middle of the park.
Bournemouth, for their part, have no reason to sell cheap. They don’t need the money. They don’t want to lose a fan favorite. And they know United have a history of caving on big fees when the deadline gets close.
Whether United actually pays £80 million remains unclear. They’re still scouting alternatives. But the fact they haven’t walked away yet tells you something about how much they want this deal done.
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