Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott favours a move to Arsenal this summer, according to The Mirror.
The Gunners are in the transfer market for a marquee midfielder, and Scott is one of the top names on their wishlist alongside Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes.
Arsenal failed with an enquiry for the Englishman last month, but this has not ended speculation over his future, given he has snubbed a new Cherries deal beyond June 2028.
The Mirror now claim that Man Utd have pulled out of the race to land Scott. They valued him at £40 million, which is significantly less than Bournemouth’s £70m plus valuation.
This could pave the way for Arsenal to sign him. Scott is ‘said to favour a move’ to the Premier League holders, but is worried about how much game time he will get under manager Mikel Arteta.
Scott could be Arsenal’s fallback target if Bruno does not join
The Gunners are loaded with plenty of options in the heart of their midfield. They have Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Myles Lewis-Skelly as holding midfielders.
Norgaard is widely expected to head for the exit door, but the rest are poised to stay. Guimaraes has emerged as a top target for Arsenal, and direct talks are currently ongoing with Newcastle.
The club have already made two successful bids for the Brazilian ace and are set to make a £70m offer for him soon. That proposal will likely be rejected by Newcastle, but the Gunners are still optimistic that the player will join them, having already agreed on personal terms.
If Newcastle were to resist the departure of their talismanic captain, Scott could emerge as the fallback target. The Englishman dazzled with his work rate and defensive contributions last term. He also made some goal contributions, including a winner against the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium in April.
We don’t see the possibility of both Scott and Guimaraes joining Arsenal during the transfer window unless there is a high-profile exit. Zubimendi was completely out of the picture for a starting role in the final weeks, and he could be a candidate who may push for a new challenge.
Lewis-Skelly may have turned around his fortunes in the last month of the 2025/26 season, but he could contemplate his future too if Arsenal sign Scott as well as Guimaraes. Arsenal were tempted to sell their graduate for pure profit earlier this year, but their current stance is unknown.
Stats from Transfermarkt
