Exciting £20m Alex Scott opportunity slips through West Ham United grasp as transfer news emerge
Liverpool are set to rival West Ham United and Wolves for Bristol City star Alex Scott and that could spell bad news for the Hammers in their pursuit.
The English wonderkid has been heavily linked with a Premier League move over the past month, with The Sun revealing on 18 February that West Ham were reportedly battling it out for his signature with Crystal Palace.
The Telegraph revealed on 9 March that Wolves had joined the race and the Midlands outfit were preparing a £20m bid for the young playmaker, a price which would have been an exciting proposition for West Ham United to explore.
Scott’s thrilling performances for Bristol City in the Sky Bet Championship have certainly got Premier League sides well alert to his talented services this summer.
The Hammers and Wolves were among the clubs watching the 19-year-old midfielder in action for England Under-20s against France in the latest international break, [Daily Mail, 3 April]
With the Hammers potentially set to undergo a stark rebuild this summer, with the likes of Declan Rice, Angelo Ogbonna, Tomas Soucek and Michail Antonio all reportedly set to depart, the Irons will certainly cash in the bank to go for their man at a bargain price of £20m.
However, any potential move for Scott now looks to be slipping through the club’s grasp.
According to the Daily Mail [10 April], Liverpool scouts were also in attendance to watch the Jack Grealish-esque midfielder, with their head of recruitment Dave Fallows and chief scout Barry Hunter checking up on Scott, who was awarded Young Player of the Year at Bristol City for his impressive performances last season.
Considering the stark potential and current ability of the 19-year-old, it was only going to be a matter of time until Scott started luring the attention of clubs such as Liverpool.
The teenager’s full array of talent was on display for all to see in Bristol City’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester City in February, and it seems like he is destined for the very top, with former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson admitting last month that Scott is “more than ready” for English top-flight football.
Scott has earned rave reviews for his performances this season and has already featured at numerous England youth levels and could well look to be a Three Lions international in the near future if he continues on his sky-high trajectory.
However, with Liverpool entering the fray for his signing, the price of a £20m deal for West Ham United now looks uncertain and increasingly bleak as Jurgen Klopp’s men potentially provide a more attractive environment for the youngster to explore, especially with West Ham’s Premier League status insecure right now.
You’d only need to look at Fabio Carvalho last season, and how quickly a flawless Championship talent jumped ship when he heard of Liverpool’s interest, and that could be a recurring trend this summer with Scott.
Bristol City have already expressed their intentions to recoup at least £20million for the England Under-20 star and with Liverpool entering the fray, the Robins could certainly bump up that price which may be a step too far for the Hammers after splashing the cash so considerably last summer [The Athletic, 1 September].
West Ham United may well have to turn their attentions elsewhere.