Having lost Antoine Semenyo halfway through last season, Andoni Iraola worked miracles to ensure that the Cherries qualified for the UEFA Europa League for the first time in their history.
Alex Scott is refusing to sign a new Bournemouth contract
Unfortunately for the South Coast side, the Basque was then tempted by Liverpool to take over the post vacated by Arne Slot, and whilst Marco Rose has pedigree, having managed RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund amongst other clubs, he is still something of an unknown quantity in the Premier League.
With Marcos Senesi also having been sold to Tottenham Hotspur, it might go some way to explaining why the talented Alex Scott is now refusing to sign a new contract.
Still only 22 years of age, the England U21 international clearly sees his future away from the Vitality Stadium, and that could prove problematic for Rose, even if the club aren't in any rush to sell the player given that his current deal runs until the summer of 2028.
Man Utd are known to be admirers of the player thanks to his work-rate and outstanding technical abilities, though their understanding of Bournemouth's potential asking price has, apparently, seen them turn their attentions elsewhere, as they continue to look for replacements for Casemiro and the injured Manuel Ugarte.
Arsenal could be a potential destination for the 22-year-old
Though the Cherries would clearly prefer that Scott stay put, they will not keep him at all costs, and with Arsenal now emerging as a potential destination according to reports, it's entirely possible that a deal gets done before the 2026/27 campaign begins in earnest.
Mikel Arteta is renowned for being meticulous in all things, and that would clearly extend to overseeing the transfers of players in or out of the first-team squad.
What he would find with Scott is a player who is more than able to get up and down the pitch with ease, is dynamic in possession, with exceptional close ball control and the ability to set the tempo at every stage of an attacking move.
Though the step up in quality, with respect to Bournemouth, will test how brightly the midfielder's star will continue to shine, there's nothing to suggest that he couldn't handle the pressure of playing for a big club.
International aspirations
Clearly, that would help him in his aspirations of playing for England's senior men's team, too.
With Scott sat alongside Declan Rice, the Gunners would have an enviable central midfield pairing who would complement each other perfectly.
Suggestions that the two are far too similar aren't without foundation, though it's hard to imagine two players who not only take their defensive responsibilities seriously, but can open up the passing lanes with ease, transition from back to front in the blink of an eye, and excel in even the tightest areas, not working well together.
Certainly, Scott could learn a lot from contemporary Rice, whilst still being an exceptional player in his own right.
Superb contribution for Bournemouth
During the 2025/26 season, for instance, only Adrien Truffert of Bournemouth's outfield players had more cumulative minutes on the pitch than Scott's 3,061.
32 chances created were one behind Truffert, with Marcus Tavernier leading the charge in this respect. A pass completion stat of 84.8% isn't to be overlooked either, given that it was one of the highest percentages in the Bournemouth squad.
It won't surprise anyone that Scott had the most ball recoveries in the squad last season (209), and that doggedness also helped him to win 195 of his 354 one-on-one duels, to give him a success rate of 55.08%, which was, again, one of the best returns of any Cherries player.
Although aerial duels aren't necessarily his forte, as attempting just 71 would attest, he still won the majority of those (40), which deserves credit.
Even his 63 tackles attempted were at the upper end of the scale. Senesi only managed the same, with Scott even outperforming the defender thanks to his 61.9% completion.
Allied to ball carrying abilities which saw him make at least 10+ progressive carries - denoted as moving the ball towards the opponent's goal by at least 10 yards - on 102 separate occasions, and 30 successful take-ons, it's obvious what Scott can offer the Gunners and what Bournemouth are so keen not to lose.
With only a few weeks until the new season begins, it's vital that the current contract impasse is sorted one way or the other, and clearly, Bournemouth's potential loss will be very much Arsenal's gain if the move should complete successfully.