Manchester United and Arsenal Target Alex Scott Amidst Transfer Shuffle

The market has barely drawn breath, but England’s elite are already jostling for position. Midfield creators, modern full-backs, wide forwards with end product – the profiles are clear, and the prices are brutal.

At the centre of it all sits Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.

Scott becomes the new battleground

Manchester United and Arsenal have both moved Scott to the top of their midfield lists, according to The Daily Mail. United, preparing for life without Manuel Ugarte as they explore options to move him on, see the 22-year-old as a key piece in a rebuild that needs energy, control and resale value.

The problem? Bournemouth know exactly what they have. Scott was a standout for the Cherries last season, driving their play and growing into the Premier League with a composure that belied his age. Any club wanting to prise him away is being pointed towards a fee in the region of £60 million, and Bournemouth are pushing to secure him on a new contract rather than cash in.

Arsenal’s interest adds another layer. Mikel Arteta’s midfield has been reshaped repeatedly over the last two years, but the search for the ideal blend of youth, versatility and technical security continues. Scott ticks those boxes. Whether either club blinks at Bournemouth’s valuation will define one of the window’s key domestic sagas.

City line up life after Kyle Walker

On the other side of the title race, Manchester City are plotting the next evolution of their back line. Chelsea right back Malo Gusto has emerged as a serious target, with Nicolo Schira reporting that City have registered interest in the 23-year-old.

The intrigue runs deeper than a simple positional fit. Gusto could reunite with former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, who is edging closer to being confirmed as Pep Guardiola’s successor. If that appointment is finalised, City’s move would make even more sense: a young, technically sharp full-back to grow inside a new tactical project, but within the same ultra-demanding environment.

Gusto joined Chelsea for £30 million in January 2023 and has been viewed at City as a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker. Walker has defined the right side of City’s defence for years. Gusto, if a deal can be struck, would be asked to help define the next era.

Liverpool and Newcastle chase Lille’s next export

Higher up the pitch, Liverpool and Newcastle United are both looking to Lille for their next attacking injection. The Daily Mail reports that Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo has attracted serious interest after directly contributing to 13 goals in 29 Ligue 1 appearances last season.

Liverpool see the 21-year-old as a more attainable alternative to RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, whose €120 million valuation places him in a different financial universe. Fernandez-Pardo, by contrast, offers upside without that kind of fee, and he fits the club’s recent pattern of targeting emerging forwards before they explode.

Newcastle are in the frame as well, and there is already a sense of rivalry between the two clubs in this market. The Magpies beat Liverpool to Víctor Muñoz from Osasuna for €40 million, and they are now searching aggressively for a replacement for Anthony Gordon after his €70 million move to Barcelona.

Their scouting net is wide. Newcastle are also tracking FC Cologne winger Said El Mala, who has been monitored by Brighton and Brentford, as they look to rebuild their left flank and keep their attack unpredictable.

Villa test West Ham’s resolve for Bowen

Aston Villa, armed with Champions League football and an ambitious manager in Unai Emery, are pushing at the door of England’s established elite. To stay there, they want more goals and more variety in the final third.

Jarrod Bowen is the name at the top of their wishlist. The Athletic reports that Villa have made their admiration clear for the 29-year-old West Ham forward, a player Emery is understood to rate highly. Bowen’s output, work rate and versatility across the front line make him a natural fit for Emery’s high-intensity, tactically fluid system.

West Ham’s stance is predictable. They want to keep him as they attempt to fight their way back to the Premier League. Yet there is a crack in the door: offers around £50 million could tempt them into talks. That number sets the bar for any serious move and will test how far Villa are willing to go to arm Emery for Europe.

While they push for Bowen, Villa have drawn a firm line elsewhere. Sky Sports reports that the club have informed Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain that Morgan Rogers is not for sale this summer. The attacking midfielder, a breakout figure under Emery, is viewed as central to their plans, not a cashable asset.

Real Madrid turn to Enzo Fernández

In Spain, Real Madrid are adjusting their transfer radar. With hopes of landing Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise fading, AS reports that the European champions have turned their attention to Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández.

Fernández, 25, is understood to be keen on a move away from Stamford Bridge and has expressed a desire to live in Madrid. That aligns neatly with Real’s search for another high-level midfielder to complement their already stacked engine room.

The sticking point is familiar: price. Chelsea’s investment in Fernández means any deal would require a fee north of €130 million. Real have shown before that they will pay at the very top end of the market for players they believe can define an era. Whether Fernández falls into that category for them, at that cost, is the question that will drive this story.

Chelsea close on Palestra as Álvarez pushes for exit

Chelsea, for their part, are not just fielding interest – they are closing in on another major defensive signing. ESPN sources indicate that the club are nearing a deal worth around €55 million for Atlanta full back Marco Palestra.

The 21-year-old, named Serie A’s defender of the year after a standout loan spell at Cagliari with 37 appearances, had been in talks with Inter Milan. Chelsea’s move has jumped the queue, and negotiations are progressing towards an agreement. It is a statement of intent in a position they continue to remodel aggressively.

In Spain, the future of Julián Álvarez is shaping up as one of the summer’s biggest stories. The Atlético Madrid striker told ESPN he wants to leave this summer, and Europe’s heavyweights are already circling. Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal have all been credited with interest, while Real Madrid saw a €150 million bid rejected last month. When a player of that calibre publicly sets his course for the exit, the dominoes tend to fall quickly.

On the women’s side, Sweden forward Felicia Schröder has completed a high-profile move from BK Häcken to Real Madrid. Häcken and her agent, Linus Gunnarsson, have described it as the “biggest transfer” in women’s history, even if the exact fee remains undisclosed and it is not yet clear whether a new record has officially been set. The message, though, is unmistakable: Madrid are building aggressively in the women’s game too.

The rest of the market: Balogun, Gakpo, Kolo Muani and more

Beneath the headline deals, the market is simmering.

• AS Monaco and USMNT striker Folarin Balogun is expected to leave Ligue 1 this summer, with Premier League clubs watching closely, according to The Athletic. A proven scorer with age on his side, he represents a rare profile in a thin centre-forward market.
• Liverpool will only consider selling Cody Gakpo if a significant offer arrives, reports Football Insider. Tottenham Hotspur have been linked, but Liverpool’s stance signals they are under no pressure to move him on.
• Roma are pushing to tie Paulo Dybala to a new contract extension as quickly as possible, says Corriere dello Sport. For a club trying to stabilise and build around reliable match-winners, securing Dybala’s future is a priority.
• Real Madrid’s interest in Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck has not cooled despite his ankle injury, which is expected to sideline him for around two months, reports Mundo Deportivo. Madrid are clearly planning their defensive future well in advance.
• Barcelona, undeterred by Atlético’s resistance so far, are preparing a new €150 million offer for Julian Alvarez, according to El Chiringuito. The numbers underline just how far they are willing to go to reshape their attack.
• Arsenal have opened talks to sign 16-year-old Leicester City winger Jeremy Monga, The Athletic reports. It is another move consistent with their strategy of securing elite talent early.
• Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring Como attacking midfielder Nico Paz, who has been linked with a €9 million return to Real Madrid, says TEAMtalk. Spurs are clearly hunting creative depth at a reasonable price.
• Juventus are in negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain over striker Randal Kolo Muani, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. A move would give Juve a powerful, mobile focal point as they attempt to reassert themselves in Serie A and Europe.
• Atalanta are looking at Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Kerim Alajbegovic, fresh from a loan spell at FC Salzburg, reports Gianluca Di Marzio. It is exactly the sort of under-the-radar, high-upside profile Atalanta have built their recent success on.
• Roma have dismissed Chelsea’s interest in full back Wesley Franca, says Fabrizio Romano, shutting down any immediate prospect of a deal.

Names are moving, numbers are climbing, and the shape of next season is being drawn right now – in boardrooms, not dressing rooms.