‘Noise growing’ that Iraola will make £60m-rated Bournemouth star his first Liverpool signing – journalist

Claims that Andoni Iraola will make a move to prise Alex Scott from Bournemouth are growing louder, with the midfielder seen as perfect for his Liverpool squad rebuild and with TEAMtalk revealing why a move could be possible for the £60m-rated ace this summer.

The Spanish tactician already has his feet under the table at the club’s Kirkby training complex as he gets to work on restoring Liverpool to the very top of English football.

Having been chosen as the heir to Arne Slot, who was sacked after a fifth-placed finish, the pressure will be on Iraola to deliver a much-improved season at Anfield.

Part of the malaise that set in under the Dutchman was arguably down to a lack of physicality in the Reds’ engine room, with Slot’s team often out-fought and outmuscled on too many occasions during the 2025/26 campaign.

Now, with Iraola expected to bring in at least one midfielder to try and reinvigorise that area of the side, links to bring his former Cherries star Scott with him to Anfield are starting to gather pace.

We reported last week how Scott is stalling on signing a new deal at the Vitality Stadium, potentially opening the door for a summer move and, in the words of transfer journalist Alex Crooks, strengthening links to Anfield.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Crooks said: “Yeah, that noise seems to be growing, and you can understand why because I think it was a problem last season for Liverpool, that midfield.

“[Ryan] Gravenberch and [Alexis] Mac Allister certainly weren’t on the same level, and Alex Scott is a player that Iraola knows well. I know Bournemouth are keen to tie him down to a new contract, but [it’s] certainly one to watch.”

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Liverpool can sign Alex Scott – here’s why

The 22-year-old Guernsey-born talent has shone brightly this season, playing a key role in the Cherries’ qualification for European football and earning a place in Thomas Tuchel’s provisional England squad for the 2026 World Cup before missing out on the final selection.

He is regarded as one of the hardest-working players in the Premier League and averaged 6.14 recoveries per 90 (placing him in the 88th percentile versus colleagues across Europe’s top five leagues), 1.89 fouls won (88th percentile), 0.91 successful dribbles (86th percentile) and 12.18 defensive contributions (84th percentile).

As a result, sources can reveal that Bournemouth have tabled a new and improved contract offer in a bid to tie Scott down long-term.

However, as things stand, the dynamic No.8 is yet to agree terms, and is showing no immediate inclination to sign an extension on a deal that currently runs to 2028.

Furthermore, interest from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United has complicated negotiations, leaving his future uncertain despite Bournemouth’s strong desire to retain him and with the message from the club this summer being that none of their top talents, including Rayan and Eli Junior Kroupi, are for sale.

But with Scott’s current deal running until 2028 and the club valuing him at £60million or more, Iraola could sense an opportunity to bring the player to Liverpool – a move the star would surely relish, knowing how his career has thrived so far under the Basque coach.

A concrete offer would certainly give Bournemouth something serious to think about, though it may take a fee even beyond his current valuation to convince them to cash in on the former Bristol City star this summer.

Alongside Scott, attackers Junior Kroupi and Rayan are also attracting significant attention, but the Cherries are determined to avoid another major squad overhaul similar to last season’s departures of Dean Huijsen, Antoine Semenyo, and Illya Zabarnyi.

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