Fresh off securing Ederson, Old Trafford scouts are now tracking Bournemouth’s breakout playmaker to bolster Michael Carrick’s midfield as a high-stakes battle with London rivals looms.
Manchester United are gearing up for a busy summer transfer window, in which the board is expected to splash the cash.
Brazilian midfielder Éderson has become the first signing of the transfer window, as he has completed his move from Atalanta for a fee of £34 million plus add-ons. The board seems to be waiting until he finishes his international commitment to officially announce him.
Another midfielder is also expected to arrive this summer, and speculation grows as to who that may be. Top target Elliot Anderson has favoured Manchester City as his next destination, so Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivell will have to look elsewhere.
Though the recruitment team may not have to look far, as United are monitoring Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, who has been touted as a 'diamond'.
United chase Scott
22-year-old midfielder Alex Scott was a crucial part of Andoni Iraola's Premier League season, in which the Cherries recorded their best domestic finish ever and qualified for the Europa League.
His impressive season has caught the eye of some of Europe's elites - Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are just two clubs reportedly monitoring the Englishman.
The Daily Mail has reported that Scott has an approximate price tag of around £80 million, quite a substantial fee for a player who has only been playing in the Premier League for three seasons.
Scott arrived from Bristol City for a fee in the region of £20 million and struggled to begin with, having suffered two knee injuries over his first two seasons at Bournemouth, which saw him miss 32 league games.
England youth team manager Ian Foster recounts his time with Scott at England: "He’s an absolute diamond off the pitch. He’s really, really good and he's one that you'd just want around the group."
It's clear from recent interviews that Michael Carrick favours a determined player; he has boosted the morale of the team since his tenure began in January, and results have improved on the pitch. Scott should fit this new model.
How does Scott fare against alternatives?
The board has been quite open about their intent to invest a substantial fee into a few new midfielders, having been linked with £75 million targets consistently.
That said, Vivell has a history of waiting out clubs to compromise on a reduced fee; he used these tactics with Benjamin Šeško and with Bryan Mbeumo, who have turned out to be superstars.
Key target Mateus Fernandes is proposed as the favoured personnel for the midfield, having been supremely impressive during his debut season with West Ham.
Fernandes is priced at £80 million, which many fans believe is an extortionate fee for a Championship player and may cause the board to target other options. Scott's situation is very similar.
Borussia Dortmund's Felix Nmecha is also a reported target for the midfield position; his impressive campaign in Germany has caught the eye of many top clubs, and he's continued that form at the World Cup for Germany. But he's also been reportedly priced at a fee in excess of £80 million.
Those round off the three top targets for midfield option, but all three players are going to make a huge dent in the summer budget, and will likely only get one of the three.
