Andoni Iraola Eyes Alex Scott as First Signing for Liverpool
Andoni Iraola has not wasted any time at Liverpool. Barely days after signing a two-year deal to replace the sacked Arne Slot, the new man in the Anfield dugout has zeroed in on the player he wants to spearhead his rebuild: Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.
Slot’s departure followed a flat, trophyless season that ended with Liverpool marooned in fifth place in the Premier League. No silverware, no Champions League, and now no Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, or Ibrahima Konaté, all of whom are leaving at the end of the campaign. The squad is thinning. The margin for error in the transfer market is even thinner.
Iraola’s answer, according to Sports Boom, is clear. He wants Scott as his first signing of the new era.
Iraola’s first statement signing
Scott’s stock has soared at Bournemouth. The 22-year-old midfielder, hailed as “unbelievable” over the course of a standout season with the Cherries, has turned himself into one of the most coveted young players in the league. His form has not gone unnoticed; several top clubs have been tracking his situation closely as his influence at the Vitality Stadium has grown.
Bournemouth are desperate to keep him. He is central to their plans, and the club are preparing a new contract offer designed to reflect his status as a key figure in their midfield. They want to build around him, not sell him.
But the door is not closed. It is understood Scott is open to a new challenge at this stage of his career, and the prospect of him committing long term to Bournemouth looks increasingly remote. That is where Liverpool come in.
The Anfield hierarchy are monitoring the situation and weighing up a bid to test Bournemouth’s resolve. Scott is thought to be valued as high as £60 million, a figure that underlines how important he has become on the south coast. Liverpool, according to Jamie Dickenson, would prefer a deal closer to £40 million. The gap between those numbers will decide how quickly this story moves.
A midfield built for Iraola
If Iraola gets his way, Scott would walk into a Liverpool midfield that never quite clicked last season. For all the quality of Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai, the unit often looked open, easy to run through, and short of control in key moments. The pieces were there; the balance was not.
Jones, entering the final year of his contract, has been heavily linked with a move away from Anfield this summer. Should he depart, Scott is viewed as a direct replacement: younger, dynamic, technically sharp, and capable of injecting the kind of energy and precision Iraola demands from the heart of his teams.
The appeal for the new manager is obvious. Scott offers legs and composure, press resistance and vision, a profile that fits the aggressive, front-foot style Iraola has built his reputation on. Bringing in a player already familiar with his methods and tactical demands would smooth the transition in a dressing room bracing for major change.
For Liverpool, it would be more than just a first signing. It would be a statement about where this rebuild is heading: younger, quicker, sharper, and tailored to a coach with a clear idea of how he wants his side to play.
The question now is simple. Will Liverpool push hard enough, and will Bournemouth’s valuation bend enough, for Alex Scott to become the first cornerstone of Iraola’s Anfield revolution?
