Iraola Targets Alex Scott for Liverpool Rebuild

Andoni Iraola has not wasted any time.

Days after signing a two-year deal to replace the dismissed Arne Slot, the new Liverpool manager has moved from handshakes and photographs into the hard reality of rebuilding a squad that has just finished fifth in the Premier League and empty‑handed. Anfield expects a response. Iraola intends to start in the middle of the pitch.

Iraola’s First Target: Alex Scott

According to Sports Boom, Iraola has identified Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott as the player he wants to headline his first transfer window on Merseyside.

It is a bold choice, but not a random one.

Scott, only 22, has put together a standout season at the Vitality Stadium, his performances driving Bournemouth forward and pushing his reputation sharply upwards. He has been labelled “unbelievable” by admirers, and his rise has not gone unnoticed across the division, with several leading clubs tracking his situation closely.

Bournemouth, understandably, are determined not to lose him. The Cherries view Scott as a central figure in their project and are preparing a new contract offer to reflect that status. The club want to tie him down; the player, though, is thought to be open to a new challenge at this stage of his career. A fresh deal on the south coast looks increasingly unlikely.

That is where Liverpool come in.

The club are monitoring developments and weighing up a bid designed to test Bournemouth’s resolve. Reports suggest the south‑coast side value Scott at up to £60 million. Liverpool, guided by their own financial parameters, are believed to be exploring a figure closer to £40 million, according to Jamie Dickenson. The gap is clear. The negotiation, if it starts, will be tense.

A Midfield in Need of a New Heart

Liverpool’s interest is not cosmetic. It is driven by need.

Last season, despite possessing a collection of technically gifted midfielders in Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool were too often overrun in central areas. The balance never quite settled. Games slipped away when the midfield could not control tempo or territory.

The situation is complicated further by looming exits. Key figures Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konaté are all set to depart at the end of the season, stripping experience and personality from the dressing room. On top of that, Jones has been heavily linked with a move away as he enters the final year of his contract. If he goes, a gap opens up not just in numbers, but in profile.

Scott fits that vacancy almost perfectly.

He brings energy, the kind that can stretch a game and then compress it again within a few seconds. He carries the ball, presses aggressively, and has the technical quality to operate in a possession-heavy side. His skill set mirrors what Iraola demands from his midfielders: intensity, courage on the ball, and the ability to shift quickly from defence to attack.

For Liverpool, the appeal is obvious. For Iraola, it is personal.

A Familiar Face for a New Era

One of the major advantages in moving for Scott lies in familiarity. Iraola knows the player, knows his tendencies, and understands how he can be plugged straight into his tactical framework. That kind of shortcut matters when a new manager is trying to impose ideas quickly on a squad in transition.

Landing Scott as a first signing would send a clear message. It would show that Liverpool are not simply chasing big names, but building a structure that suits the manager’s football. It would also give Iraola a young, Premier League‑ready midfielder who can grow with the team rather than merely patch it up.

So much depends on the fee. Bournemouth’s valuation and Liverpool’s stance are still some distance apart, and this kind of deal rarely moves quietly. But if the numbers can be brought into line, Iraola’s Anfield rebuild could begin with a player built to carry its rhythm.

The question now is simple: will Liverpool push hard enough to make Alex Scott the signature that defines the start of Iraola’s reign?