Liverpool clearly liked Alex Scott.
They liked him enough to speak to people close to the Bournemouth midfielder over the summer.
But there is one important detail.
Liverpool never actually made an official bid.
And now, according to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are closely monitoring the situation too.
That makes this one of those Liverpool transfer stories that I think is worth keeping an eye on.
Because Scott is exactly the sort of midfielder I can imagine Liverpool being interested in under Andoni Iraola.
Liverpool have already done the groundwork
Romano’s information suggests Liverpool were in contact with people close to Scott during the summer, but stopped short of making a formal offer.
That tells me the Reds were doing their homework.
They wanted to understand the situation.
They wanted to know what Scott’s position was.
And presumably they wanted to work out whether a deal was realistic before committing serious money.
That is quite different from Liverpool simply being linked with a player because somebody has mentioned his name.
There was actual contact.
Liverpool’s interest has been reported repeatedly, while Scott has also been described as a player the club could look at for midfield.
And there is an obvious connection.
Andoni Iraola knows him extremely well.
Iraola relied heavily on Scott during his time at Bournemouth, using him 89 times during his spell on the south coast.
So if Liverpool are looking at Scott, this isn’t just about statistics or reputation.
Iraola already knows exactly what he can bring to a team.
And I can see why Liverpool like him
Scott has developed into a very good Premier League midfielder.
He is energetic, technically comfortable and willing to work without the ball.
He can carry the ball, press, tackle and contribute going forward.
He also has something Liverpool always need to consider:
he is English and homegrown.
That matters when you are building a Premier League squad.
Scott has also started this season strongly enough to earn recognition from Thomas Tuchel with England.
After his recent performances, Tuchel has even spoken about Scott competing for a midfield place alongside the likes of Declan Rice.
So his reputation is growing.
And that is probably not helping Liverpool’s chances of getting him cheaply.
Chelsea are now watching closely
This is where the story gets interesting.
Chelsea have already shown that they are serious about Scott.
They reportedly had a bid of around £64m rejected during the summer, while Bournemouth continue to resist the idea of selling him.
Liverpool never got as far as making an official offer.
Chelsea did.
That could become important.
Because if Liverpool decide they want Scott in the future, they may have to compete with a club that has already demonstrated its willingness to spend big on him.
And Chelsea aren’t the only club who have been interested either.
Scott has attracted attention from several major Premier League clubs after becoming one of Bournemouth’s most important players.
The timing could work in Liverpool’s favour
There is also a reason why I wouldn’t dismiss this story just because Liverpool didn’t bid in the summer.
Bournemouth have made it clear that they don’t want to sell Scott during the January window.
However, reports suggest the club could be more open to a departure next summer.
Bournemouth are also discussing a new contract with Scott and have considered including a release clause as part of their efforts to convince him to stay.
That could eventually give everyone a clearer situation.
And if Liverpool still want him?
They could have another opportunity.
The question is whether Scott will still be their preferred option by then.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Liverpool came back
This is the bit that interests me most.
Liverpool didn’t bid for Scott.
But they made contact.
That suggests there was genuine interest.
And with Liverpool expected to continue looking at midfield options, I don’t think this is a story we should forget about.
There is also the Iraola factor.
The manager knows Scott.
Scott knows Iraola.
That doesn’t guarantee anything, of course, but if Liverpool are trying to persuade a player to move to Anfield, having a manager who already knows exactly how to get the best out of him certainly won’t hurt.
The only thing that worries me is the potential price.
If Bournemouth really are looking for something around £100m, I simply can’t see Liverpool paying that for Scott.
He’s a very good player.
But that’s an enormous amount of money.
And Liverpool have other midfield options they are considering.
So where does this leave Liverpool?
For now, probably exactly where Romano says they are.
Interested.
Monitoring.
Waiting.
And Chelsea are doing the same thing.
The difference is that Chelsea have already put a serious offer on the table.
Liverpool haven’t.
Yet.
And that’s why I think this could become a really interesting transfer battle over the next few months.
Scott has already worked under Iraola.
Liverpool have already spoken to people close to him.
Chelsea have already shown how badly they want him.
And Bournemouth know they have a player whose value is only going to keep increasing if he continues performing like this.
So I wouldn’t write Alex Scott off as a Liverpool possibility just yet.
There was no bid in the summer.
But there was contact.
And sometimes that’s where these transfers begin.
The question now is whether Liverpool decide to take the next step.
Because if they do, Chelsea won’t be standing aside and watching it happen.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
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