Bristol City academy boss Brian Tinnion says it will take a “big, big, big offer” for the Robins to even entertain thoughts of selling midfielder Alex Scott as the teenager prepares for England’s Under-19 European Championship final against Israel.
Scott has featured in all four of the Young Lions games in Slovakia and after scoring the equaliser against Italy in the semi-final is primed to start in Friday evening’s final at the Anton Malatinský Stadium.
That would complete an outstanding breakthrough campaign for the 18-year-old who made 38 Championship appearances, across a variety of positions, in what was a near seamless transition from youth into first-team football.
Scott only signed his first professional contract for the club last March but is already being discussed in Premier League terms with Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United understood to be the two most interested of his top-flight suitors, while West Ham, Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion have made regular checks on the midfielder.
Given he’s performed so well among the cream of the Premier League’s young English talent in Slovakia, Scott has likely increased the possibility of one of the above clubs making an approach this summer.
However, City’s valuation of the 18-year-old, who is under contract until 2025, remains high, beyond the £16m Brentford have offered so far for Hull City winger Keane Lewis-Potter, for example, who has two and a half years of EFL football under his belt.
That could mean that interest in Scott remains bubbling under for another 6-12 months, with clubs keen to see how he performs in his second season, but should anyone be willing to test City’s resolve, it will require considerable figures.
“When top young talent is performing well then the big clubs look. We’re not daft and we know that,” Tinnion told BBC Radio Bristol. “But he’s contracted to the football club, he’s got three years here. We want to keep our best players to build on what we’re doing for the future. I’m sure it would have to take a big, big, big offer for Alex Scott to get anywhere.”
Tinnion's word chime with what Nigel Pearson has said, with the City manager also reinforcing the stance last week by insisting that a player's value is measured by what they bring to the football club, not what they may fetch on the open market; a departure, he said, from the previous approach.
Scott himself remarked towards the end of last season that there was little point in making the move up the pyramid if it was only going to lead to Under-23s football, whereas at City he's playing every week in the Championship.
Keeping Scott is of utmost importance to management, even in light of concerns over the EFL's Profit & Sustainability regulations for next season. However, the fact remains if a substantial bid is forthcoming, it will be very difficult for the Robins to turn down.
Pearson and the City squad will be watching from their training camp around 350 miles away in the Alps, with interest mirrored across Bristol and Scott’s home island of Guernsey, where Tinnion was first alerted to his talent.
Scott is one of just three players in the England squad not drawn from top-flight clubs and having performed so strongly alongside his peers in his age group, irrespective of how England fare, it will deliver a significant confidence boost for when he returns to pre-season.
Scott is set to be used more regularly in his more recognised central midfield role having been deployed at right wing-back in light of injuries and a lack of resources in that position last season.
“It’s given the whole football club a big boost. We’re delighted for him but are we surprised? No, because he’s an outstanding footballer and talent - we’re pleased but we’re not surprised,” Tinnion added.
“In his development it’s massive. It’s a big learning curve for him, he’s got to go and perform on the big stage, playing with some top quality young players from the big clubs so it will give him the confidence to think he’s up there with them.”
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