Manchester United abandon pursuit of Alex Scott after Bournemouth's £70m asking price

Published Jul 23, 03:09 PM UTC

According to a report by Mirror's chief sports journalist Jeremy Cross, Manchester United have withdrawn from the race to sign Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott after being deterred by the club's £70 million asking price. United valued the 22-year-old England international at around £40 million, citing his lack of senior England debut and Champions League experience. Bournemouth, however, set a price tag exceeding £70 million for their key player, who helped the Cherries secure European qualification last season. This opens the door for Premier League rivals Arsenal to sign Scott, provided they can agree on a fee with Bournemouth. Scott's representatives have held talks with several clubs, and he is expected to decide his future within two weeks. The midfielder reportedly favors a move to the Emirates Stadium but is concerned about playing time under Mikel Arteta. Manchester United have already strengthened their midfield by signing Youri Tielemans and Andre Santos, and manager Michael Carrick still hopes to add a third midfielder, but not through a bidding war with Arsenal.