West Ham United must go all out to sign Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott as transfer talks held
West Ham United are reportedly in discussions with Bristol City to sign Alex Scott this summer in a deal worth £22m and the Hammers must fight tooth and nail to secure his signature.
The 19-year-old has emerged as one of the hottest footballing teenage prospects in the country following his superb showings for the Sky Bet Championship side last season, registering a goal and five assists from 42 outings.
The English sensation has been heavily linked with a Premier League move over the past months, with The Sun revealing on 18 February that West Ham were reportedly battling it out for his signature with Crystal Palace, while Bournemouth have also joined the race [Daily Mail, 12 June].
With David Moyes and new technical director, Tim Steidten set to kick off a new era at the London Stadium following the impending big-money departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal, the Hammers will almost certainly have cash in the bank to let fly.
And according to the Daily Mail (29 June), the Hammers are in talks with Bristol City over a £22m move for Scott and have also made approaches for several other key midfield targets as they swiftly look to move on from their departing club captain.
The Robins’ midfielder is the type of player that makes fans want to watch their team just to see him.
Scott’s silky control, versatility, tactical understanding, maturity despite his tender age and ability to weave his magic in the middle and final third would balance nicely with the physicality the East London club possess in midfield, and at just 19 years old he certainly has plenty of room to grow and become a star-studded name like Rice did.
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 Pep Guardiola calling him “unbelievable” after his performance.
Scott was named the Championship’s Young Player of the Year and it’s easy to see why considering his impressive stats in a team that really isn’t built to dominate teams in the English second division. The Englishman ranks in the top 11% of all midfielders in the eight competitions most similar to the Championship for progressive carries (2.34 per 90 minutes), as per FBref, and in the top 16% for successful take-ons (1.22).
In that aforementioned FA Cup tie with Man City last season, which Bristol City lost 3-0, Scott’s five dribbles were the joint-most of any player on the field, level with opponent Phil Foden – and even bettered Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva, showcasing that Scott holds the capabilities to compete with the elite players. He isn’t fazed one bit.
Such bravery and character in high-stakes is what Moyes would love in his squad, especially with Rice now gone and West Ham United facing the challenge of the Europa League next season.
West Ham United already hold an established player brought in from the depths of the Championship and is now thriving as one of the club’s most prized assets in Jarrod Bowen, and Scott certainly holds all the capabilities to become the next household name from the English second division in East London.
Scott is not exactly a hidden gem, which explains his price tag, but he could be a very smart option for West Ham to kick off their transfer business in the post-Declan Rice era.
£25m could well prove an absolute snip in the next couple of years.
It’s clear the 19-year-old sensation needs a platform that will prioritise and encourage his development and learning at the top level, and there may be no better platform than West Ham United. This is a deal the Hammers should be going all out for.
In other West Ham news, one senior club figure is facing an uncertain future at the London Stadium following the appointment of Steidten.