Chelsea may have found another midfielder to add to their ever-growing collection, with Bournemouth chairman admitting Alex Scott could have his head turned by the prospect of joining one of the Premier League's heavyweights.
And who can blame him? When Chelsea come calling, the temptation of swapping the south coast for Stamford Bridge, future Champions League football (hopefully) and the opportunity to become the next big English midfielder can be difficult to ignore.
The Bournemouth chairman, Bill Foley, has claimed that he has tried to keep the player but has stars in his eyes, and I’m not talking about appearing through the smoke and set to sing a karaoke classic.
"We'd love to have Alex stay here and sign a new contract and be part of this team for the long haul. We haven't given up, but sometimes players get stars in their eyes, and they think that Chelsea or Manchester City is the right place to go."Bill Foley
“Tonight Matthew, I choose Chelsea” could come sooner rather than later at some point in January but will come as a cost. A bid of more than £90million will surely be enough to secure the services.
Chelsea could sweeten the deal by offering Bournemouth a midfielder in return, either on loan or as part of a permanent transfer. Such an arrangement would help the Cherries secure a replacement while allowing the Blues to free up space in an already crowded squad.
Romeo Lavia could be one option, while Valentín Barco may also appeal. However, Dário Essugo could make the most sense for Bournemouth, offering them a potential long-term midfield option while giving Chelsea a way to strengthen their hand in negotiations for Alex Scott.
The chairman, who also owns the Vegas Golden Knights, may ultimately be willing to let Scott leave with his blessing, provided Bournemouth receive a suitable deal that allows them to reinvest in the squad and continue building for the future.
"We have to prove to the players this is a place they want to be and that they want to stay and they don't want to move on because that's the way we really build a successful team."
Bournemouth will hope their chairman's comments are enough to keep Scott grounded throughout their Premier League and European campaigns, but the prospect of Chelsea circling is unlikely to make contract talks any easier.
After all, when the Blues come knocking, resisting the temptation can be harder when those stars line up.
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