Bristol City boss doubles down on Liverpool, Brighton, Wolves, West Ham and Spurs transfer target

Nigel Pearson says it is a positive reflection on Bristol City that Alex Scott is continuing to be linked with a move away.

The Robins are prepared for a transfer battle this summer from Premier League clubs, who may be ready to take a gamble on the 19-year-old. Scott is considered the best young talent in the Football League, and has numerous admirers from the Premier League.

Scott himself, is focusing on next season, hinting that he wants to remain at Ashton Gate this summer, and that he is blocking out any speculation but admitted in a recent interview his desire to play at the top level. The talented teenager dubbed ‘The Guernsey Grealish’ has two years left on his contract, and his valuation at City is at £25m, but that could increase should more than one club come in for him.

No offers have yet been yielded to City for Scott, and he is currently on a break, after playing at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina. Bids could come in for him, but his manager Nigel Pearson says that the club should be adaptable to any potential sale of his.

“You’ve got to have a pretty flexible perspective on what the transfer window can look like,” said Pearson in an interview with the club.

“Things can happen that you can’t really predict I suppose, and there will continue to be talk about some of our players leaving just because of how promising they are and how well they have done for us.

“I don’t worry about stuff like that because whatever people are talking about your players in a positive fashion, it means we are doing something right. We are producing good young players at the club, and we’re going to try and keep hold of them as long as we can because we want to be successful ourselves. Our best chance of keeping our best players is being successful.”

Scott’s potential destinations seem to be narrowing, given Liverpool’s signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for a reported £35m. A move to Anfield had been suggested, but the Reds would seem unlikely to part with a similar fee for a player that is unproven in the Premier League.

Brighton’s windfall could put them at the top of the list to sign Scott, but they have been linked with the signings of Winston McKennie from Juventus, as well as Marcelino Núñez from Norwich City. The Seagulls have recruited from the lower leagues before, and paid a previous club record fee for Adam Webster.

West Ham, who recently won the Europa Conference League, were reportedly put off by the £25m asking fee, but a potential £92m windfall from the sale of Declan Rice, could put them back in the race. Wolves meanwhile must move players off their books, to keep in line with Financial Fair Play rules, whilst Leicester City’s relegation to the Championship makes a move to the King Power Arena a non-starter.

Scott’s beloved Spurs could be a destination, after they sorted out their manager situation. Tottenham Hotspur appointed Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, and Scott could help usher in a new era in North London.