Andoni Iraola Targets Alex Scott as First Signing for Liverpool
Andoni Iraola has barely had time to find his office at Anfield, but he already knows who he wants to build around.
The new Liverpool manager, appointed on a two-year deal after Arne Slot’s sacking, has marked Bournemouth’s Alex Scott as his priority first signing, a statement of intent as the club licks its wounds from a flat, trophyless season that ended with fifth place in the Premier League and a broken core.
Iraola’s first move: Alex Scott
With Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konaté all heading for the exit at the end of the season, Liverpool are braced for a summer of upheaval. Iraola does not plan to drift into it. According to Sports Boom, the Spaniard has zeroed in on Scott as the first piece of his Anfield rebuild.
Scott’s rise at Bournemouth has been rapid and loud. Described as “unbelievable” after a standout campaign with the Cherries, the 22-year-old has gone from promising youngster to one of the most closely watched midfielders in the league. His form has driven his value up and dragged scouts from several top clubs to the Vitality Stadium.
Bournemouth, understandably, are not keen to cash in. They see Scott as central to their future and are preparing a new contract that reflects his status as a key player. The club want to lock him down; the market wants to prise him away.
This is where Liverpool step in.
A battle over value
Scott is understood to be open to a new challenge at this stage of his career, and the prospect of a long-term stay at Bournemouth looks less certain by the week. Liverpool are monitoring the situation closely and are ready to probe Bournemouth’s resolve with a formal offer.
The numbers will decide how quickly this story moves. Reports suggest Bournemouth value Scott at up to £60 million. Liverpool, according to Jamie Dickenson, are targeting something closer to £40 million. That gap will define the negotiations: a club determined to protect a prize asset against a giant trying to reshape a squad without losing control of its budget.
If Bournemouth sense they can trigger a bidding war, they will hold firm. If Scott pushes for the move, the figure might start to bend.
The midfield fix Iraola needs
Liverpool’s interest is not cosmetic. Their midfield, on paper deep and talented, often looked anything but last season. Despite options like Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, the team were frequently overrun, especially in high-intensity games where control in the middle of the pitch decides everything.
Jones, now entering the final year of his contract, has been heavily linked with a move away from Anfield this summer. That potential departure creates both a gap and an opportunity. Scott is viewed as a direct replacement: younger, dynamic, technically sharp, and with the kind of energy Iraola demands from the heart of his teams.
The fit is obvious. Scott offers ball-carrying, pressing, and the ability to knit phases together — traits that would sit neatly inside Iraola’s aggressive, front-foot approach. And there is another layer: Scott already understands the methods and tactical demands of the new manager, a crucial advantage in a dressing room about to undergo major change.
For a club trying to accelerate a transition rather than stumble through it, that familiarity matters. It shortens the learning curve. It gives Iraola at least one on-field reference point for his ideas from day one.
The fee will dictate whether this is a bold early strike or a drawn-out saga. But if Liverpool can land Alex Scott at the right price, Iraola’s first signing would not just be symbolic. It would be a clear signal that the new era at Anfield will be built on youth, intensity and a midfield that no longer gets chased backwards.
