Man United fall behind Chelsea in the race for England star praised by Thomas Tuchel

Manchester United may have some serious catching up to do if they want to sign Alex Scott next summer, with Chelsea currently believed to be leading the race for the Bournemouth midfielder.

United have tracked Scott for some time and his profile certainly fits the direction the club want to take in midfield.

The problem is that Chelsea have already pushed much harder for the 23-year-old, while his recent breakthrough with England has only increased his value.

Chelsea currently ahead of Man United for Scott

According to The Telegraph, Chelsea are at the front of the queue for Scott after seeing more than one bid rejected during the summer.

Those offers were understood to be worth more than £60million, but Bournemouth refused to sell.

Man United were also interested, although they never managed to put themselves in a similarly strong negotiating position.

Liverpool and Arsenal are among the other clubs following Scott, so United will face plenty of competition if they decide to make him a priority in 2027.

Scott’s stock has climbed again after his first England start in the 7-0 Nations League win over Croatia.

England manager Thomas Tuchel was hugely impressed, praising the midfileder: “First start and what a start, what a performance.”

Scott looks exactly like the kind of midfielder United need

Scott is exactly the kind of midfielder that Man United need.

He is energetic, technically secure and comfortable taking responsibility on the ball. He can operate deeper or push forward, which would give United some much-needed flexibility in midfield.

The concern is the price. Bournemouth already turned down more than £60m, and Scott’s England breakthrough means his valuation is unlikely to fall.

Chelsea are also ahead because they were prepared to act aggressively during the summer.

United therefore cannot afford to treat this as a transfer they can revisit casually next year.

If Scott is genuinely viewed as one of their main midfield targets, they may need to move early.

Otherwise, Chelsea’s head start, combined with growing interest from elsewhere, could leave United watching another top young Premier League player move to a rival.