Chelsea will have to break the bank for Alex Scott but already have a better midfielder
Chelsea have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Alex Scott ahead of the January transfer window.
All the noise coming out of the Vitality Stadium suggested that Scott would not be going anywhere until the end of the season. However, it emerged on Tuesday that Bournemouth could now be willing to sell the midfielder in the winter transfer window.
That is great news for Chelsea, who have made Scott their top target. He will not come cheap, though.
It has been claimed that Chelsea could be forced to pay £130m to sign Scott in January. The 23-year-old is a good player, but it is a ridiculous amount of money, especially when the Blues already have two midfielders better than him.
Romeo Lavia is a better midfielder than Alex Scott
Scott cannot hold a candle to Moises Caicedo, and it would not be far-fetched to say he is not on Romeo Lavia’s level either. No one has ever questioned Lavia’s ability, the problem with him has been his fitness.
Alex Scott could be available in January! If Chelsea sign him, what impact do you think he’ll make on the midfield?
When the Belgian is fit, there are few midfielders in the world who can resist a press and protect the ball as well as he does.
It is high praise, but you can even compare Lavia to Rodri because of that aspect of his game. Rodri may just be the most press-resistant midfielder in football, but a fit Lavia is not far away.
“He has it all: good footwork, doesn’t lose the ball,” former Anderlecht manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck said when discussing Lavia during the international break. France boss Zinedine Zidane was also full of praise for Lavia following his side’s 4-1 win over Belgium.
On Lavia and his assist during the game, Zidane said: “I didn’t watch his individual performance because I was keeping an eye on my own players, but I really liked his pass, yes. I watched it again in the changing room at half-time, during the analysis. He’s a quality player.”
Chelsea need that profile of midfielder for their biggest games of the season, games where they take on the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool, who will press them high up the pitch. Without that, it is hard to get out of defence.
Ultimately, Chelsea still need a new midfielder. They never replaced Enzo Fernandez and there is no guarantee that Lavia will be able to stay fit for the remainder of the season.
But to spend over £100m on a player who might not even be an upgrade on what you already have is a bold move. There have got to be cheaper alternatives to the England international, although money has never been an issue for Chelsea. With that being the case, not every Chelsea supporter is going to be against this potential signing.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
