Manchester United will never pay 80 million for M. Fee; reasons for signing Scott revealed. Arsenal made the first inquiry but were rejected.

Alex Scott, another Premier League defensive midfielder absent from this summer's World Cup, similarly draws interest from Manchester United and Arsenal. This 22-year-old English midfield battler, despite a slightly thin frame, is nicknamed the "Guernsey Grealish" and can dictate matches, appealing to top-flight managers like Carrick and Arteta, who themselves played in midfield.

The BBC reports that Arsenal first approached Bournemouth with an inquiry but were turned down, with the club stating Scott is not for sale. Manchester United have yet to make a move as they still haven't given up on signing West Ham's Matheus Fernandes. However, the Red Devils insist they won't pay an £80 million premium, and if M. Fee is out of reach, Scott could be their primary backup plan.

For years, Manchester United often signed big-name stars only to find they couldn't replicate their top form. Now, the club focuses more on intangible "traits" when recruiting players—such as whether they follow instructions, how they react to being benched, if they get along with teammates, whether they understand and accept tactical changes, how they handle poor performances, and if they can cope with pressure.

Scott reportedly excels in these areas, coupled with his passing, dribbling, and all-around qualities on the pitch, which has drawn interest from top clubs. Bournemouth is reluctant to sell, hence they slapped an £80 million price tag; the "Cherries" know it's unreasonable, but they don't really want to sell.

Bristol City technical director Brian Tinnion, who discovered Scott on Guernsey, praises his mentality. "The most incredible thing about him is his attitude—toward the game and toward training," Tinnion said. "From the moment he joined until we sold him to Bournemouth, he never caused any trouble—absolutely a dream professional."

As a child, due to his lack of height and physical strength, Scott was let go by Southampton. After a year at Bournemouth, he lost his passion for football and returned to his hometown of Guernsey. But unwilling to give up, he made one last effort to break through in England, going on trial with Bristol City. That was likely his final chance, and he seized it firmly.

"We arranged a friendly for him against a London academy," Tinnion recalled. "Alex (Scott) trained for a week, and in the match, within 35 minutes he scored a perfect hat-trick—left foot, right foot, header. I thought: 'Is that the same Alex?' We'd seen him before and watched his games, but that match he was incredible."

Ian Foster, who coached England's U19 and U20 youth teams, called Scott a "hidden gem." He explained: "Scott is the type of player every coach wants to have—he's a good lad."

Scott made significant contributions to England's youth teams. In the 2022 U19 European Championship semi-final against Italy, he came off the bench to score a header, helping England win the title. Last summer, he started alongside Elliot Anderson in the U21 Euro final, where England beat Germany 3-2 to claim victory.

Simply put, Scott has an exceptional attitude toward coaching, is ready to step in and change the game even from the bench, understands the most complex tactical setups, gets along well with teammates, and has never had any conflicts.

So, even though Scott missed out on England's World Cup squad, Tuchel still took him to Florida for pre-tournament training to help the team prepare. Scott has faced other setbacks: after joining Bournemouth for £25 million in 2023, a knee injury limited him to just three appearances. A year later, he suffered a torn meniscus.

Ahead of the U21 European Championship, Scott broke his jaw but recovered in time for the tournament, only to leave the final due to injury, crying on the pitch. However, he bounced back strongly last season, helping Bournemouth qualify for Europe. Yet he still missed the World Cup. Having experienced many setbacks, Scott has a strong mindset for handling pressure.

From a tactical perspective, Scott's appeal lies in his versatility. He initially played as a full-back at Bristol City before transitioning to midfield, where he has shown versatility as a deep-lying No.6, a box-to-box No.8, and an attacking No.10 operating behind the striker.

Manchester United aims to sign a defensive midfielder who can control the tempo of the game, complementing Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes. Arsenal, meanwhile, are looking for a ball-carrying midfielder who can push forward quickly, and they are also monitoring Morgan Rogers, Bruno Guimarães, and Ayub Bouaddi.

Scott meets all these criteria. He is physically strong and possesses excellent ball control, with 21% of his dribbles being forward progressions (carrying the ball more than five meters)—ranking fourth among defensive midfielders in Europe's top five leagues last season.

Whether playing for Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth or Lee Carsley with England's U21s, Scott has executed the coach's instructions well. In the last two years, he has dropped deeper to disrupt opponents' rhythm and has never let the team down. He also adapts well to different teammates, especially when partnering with long-time international teammate Anderson, his performances stand out.

In April, Bournemouth visited the Emirates and beat Arsenal 2-1, with Scott scoring the winner, catching Arteta's attention. And this season, the Cherries kept United winless in two meetings, leaving a strong impression on the Red Devils.

Coach Foster believes Scott should not be restricted to a single position. "He's a traditional box-to-box midfielder. If you ask what kind of players Scholes and Roy Keane were, everyone would say midfield anchors—I think Alex is the same. He can go up and down, defend and protect, break into the box, score, and create chances. I wouldn't label him; I think he's a very, very good all-round midfielder."

Scott is already among the Premier League's top midfielders, and his stats confirm that. Among all Premier League players last season, only Anderson (306) regained possession more times than Scott (195), while Scott ranked third in fouls suffered, behind Anderson (80) and Guimarães (75). Scott's number of clearances exceeded those of Arsenal's Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi (both 78) and United's Casemiro (73).

Scott's 29 successful dribbles ranked third among midfielders, behind Anderson (50) and Morgan Gibbs-White (30). This is another similarity to "Jack" Grealish, besides his appearance. But he's not weak; in the box, he holds his own in aerial duels when defending set pieces.

So Bournemouth is unwilling to sell Scott. They want to extend his contract with a £75 million release clause that would only become active after next year. New manager Marco Rose plans to build the team around Scott for next season's European campaign. British media say Bournemouth would only accept an £80 million offer, but outsiders believe over £60 million would suffice.

Manchester United thinks they could get Scott for a lower price. Scott's stepsister, Maya Le Tissier, is the captain of United Women's team, and she might persuade her brother to join. Scott's boyhood club was Tottenham—luckily, the "Lilywhites" are competing with United for M. Fee, not Scott. In January 2023, Spurs, along with Crystal Palace and West Ham, considered signing Scott but ultimately passed, and Bournemouth signed him a few months later.