Manchester United have pulled out of the race to sign Alex Scott from Bournemouth after being priced out of a move for the midfielder. The Red Devils' valuation of £40m differs greatly from the £70m Bournemouth are seeking.
While United rate the 22-year-old highly, they are not willing to pay over the odds for a player who has yet to win his first full England cap, although he was part of the squad for the pre-World Cup friendlies.
Interest from other clubs
Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham are interested in the player, while Chelsea have reportedly had a £64m offer rejected. Scott has two years left on the contract he signed when joining from Bristol City for £25m in 2023.
United revisit £100m target
With a move for Scott seemingly off the table, United are reportedly ready to rekindle their interest in Brighton's Carlos Baleba. United were linked with the Cameroon star last summer.
Brighton had slapped a £100m price tag on Baleba and it is believed the speculation around his future may have contributed to his dip in form. That does not appear to have put United off, with Sky Sports claiming the club are exploring revisiting a move for the player.
The reports add that United are still to make fresh contact with Brighton and that the £100m would have to come down for them to consider pushing through with a deal. However, their interest in him remains strong.
Midfield revamp
Midfield remains a priority area for United. Progress has already been made, with Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans arriving from Chelsea and Aston Villa, respectively. France World Cup winner Manu Kone is also on the radar.
Meanwhile, the future of Marcus Rashford remains uncertain after Barcelona opted against triggering their option to buy him. As it stands, Rashford, who is currently on a post-World Cup break, will rejoin United, potentially during August's training camp in Ireland, which includes a friendly against Leeds in Dublin.
