Former Liverpool and Chelsea defender Glen Johnson has advised Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott to choose a move to Liverpool over Chelsea, arguing that the Reds are in a 'better direction' and more 'stable' than their rivals.
Scott's rise and injury setback
Scott has become one of the Premier League's most sought-after midfielders since joining Bournemouth from Bristol City three-and-a-half years ago. The 23-year-old has impressed at the heart of the Cherries' midfield and was unfortunate to miss out on a place in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad in the summer.
However, Scott was recalled by Tuchel last month and made his debut as a second-half substitute in England's Nations League victory over the Czech Republic in Prague. He then started in England's 7-0 win over Croatia, delivering an outstanding performance alongside Elliot Anderson in Rijeka.
Following that match, it emerged that Scott could be sidelined for up to eight weeks due to a thigh injury.
Transfer speculation and Johnson's advice
Recent reports indicate Bournemouth could consider offers in excess of £80 million for Scott this winter. Chelsea are believed to be in pole position and reportedly growing 'increasingly confident' of securing a deal, while Real Madrid, Manchester City and Liverpool continue to be linked.
Asked whether Scott should choose Stamford Bridge or Anfield, Johnson told Betfred: 'As of today, I'd have to say Liverpool.'
'That's not necessarily due to him getting more game-time or anything like that, but I'm saying it more from the perspective of Liverpool as a club being a lot more stable and they're going in a better direction. I'd choose Liverpool purely for stability, but I'm not sure which club he'd get more game-time at to be honest. You can certainly understand why both clubs are interested in him though.'
Johnson's doubts and alternative suggestion
In a separate interview with Action Network, Johnson admitted he was not yet fully convinced by Scott and suggested Frenkie de Jong might be a more suitable signing for clubs like Chelsea and Liverpool.
'Alex Scott is a good player, but I haven't seen enough of him to say if he's at the top-four level,' the former England right-back explained. 'We don't know yet, but he's definitely shown some glimpses and started the season very well, and obviously got himself in the England fold, and that's only going to boost his confidence. I think I need to see some more, but I think he's definitely on the right path to be playing for one of the top teams.'
On De Jong, Johnson added: 'If Frenkie de Jong is fit, he's a great player. I don't know how he is with the recent injury, but he's been out for a while, and how the deal would go in terms of finances, God knows what he would cost, but as long as he's fit, then, yeah, I think he'd be a great signing.'
Bournemouth's stance
Bournemouth are in no hurry to part with Scott, though they recognise the midfielder may have ambitions to move on for bigger and better things. The Cherries maintain that the Vitality Stadium remains the 'right place' for Scott despite interest from some of Europe's top teams.
'At this point, we're convinced that we're the right place for Alex to be, for Alex to stay, and we'll keep on addressing contract issues with Alex as we move through this year,' Bournemouth owner Bill Foley told talkSPORT earlier this month. 'We'd love to have Alex stay here, sign a new contract and be part of this team for the long haul, and we're still working on it. We haven't given up. But sometimes players get stars in their eyes and they think that Chelsea is the right place to go or Manchester City.'
Scott's current contract runs through to June 2028.
