Premier League outfit West Ham United have moved a step closer to signing Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott, as reported by Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider.
The Hammers are reportedly in a strong position to sign the midfielder, who has been often referred to as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ and has been the target of a number of clubs in the Premier League for some time now. The Hammers are thought to have a strong interest in the 19-year-old midfielder, who the Robins value at around £25 million. And it is believed that the Londoners are in line to move forward with a deal should all parties be keen to make progress with the transfer. Bristol City and Nigel Pearson have room to negotiate a price for the player, with the midfielder’s contract reportedly running until 2025 with the Robins.
Scott broke out into the first team in 2021 from the club’s youth setup, and the 19-year-old made 49 appearances for the Robins last season, 44 of which he was in the starting XI. He has become a vital part of the team at Ashton Gate, finishing comfortably in 14th last season in the Championship. The midfielder scored twice and helped his side with five assists during that season. The exclamation point came with the England youth international winning the EFL Young Player of the Year award in the Championship last season.
West Ham won the Conference League last season through a late Jarred Bowen goal. Despite that success, they are set to lose Declan Rice, who is reportedly close to joining Arsenal for what is believed to be a new British transfer record fee. And the Hammers are set to start spending that cash already and bring in a replacement for the Arsenal-bound man in Alex Scott, beating Premier League competition along the way.
And it is not just club level that Scott has been impressing at in the footballing world. Back in February, the midfielder was hailed as ‘an unbelievable player’ by Manchester City boss; Pep Guardiola following an FA Cup tie with the Cityzens. But the midfielder has experience internationally, with 16 appearances across multiple age groups for his country. Scott was part of the under-19 side that won the European Championships last summer.
Writer’s View
Alex Scott is a fantastic talent, and I have to agree with Nigel Pearson’s comments that he is destined for the top. West Ham are on a high following their European victory and will be looking to build on that success. Losing Declan Rice will be a massive blow for the Hammers, and they will have to be careful in searching for his replacement. Scott is a solid signing and one for the future and will be joining a fantastic project where he could excel under David Moyes.
