Declan Rice delivers verdict on £100m Arsenal transfer target after 'contact made'

Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have made initial contact with Bournemouth over Alex Scott, with reports suggesting a potential £100m+ deal in January.

Declan Rice has praised Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott's recent form for club and country, as Arsenal join Chelsea and Liverpool in the race for his signature ahead of the January transfer window.

Scott, 23, earned his first England caps during the recent international break, making his debut off the bench against Czech Republic before starting in the 7-0 win over Croatia. He picked up a thigh injury during that camp but has since returned to action for Bournemouth.

According to reports, all three Premier League clubs have made initial contact with Bournemouth over a potential move for Scott. Chelsea saw multiple summer bids rejected for the former Bristol City star, who has turned down contract extension offers from the Cherries.

However, The Telegraph reports that Bournemouth intend to reject interest in Scott and other key assets in January as they bid for European qualification for a second consecutive season, despite earlier suggestions a move could happen if an offer exceeded £100m.