Chelsea Renews Interest in Alex Scott Amidst Deepfake Concerns
The English club is reportedly preparing a January bid for the highly-rated midfielder, while also grappling with the spread of AI-generated videos.
Chelsea is reportedly preparing to make another bid for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott in the upcoming January transfer window. Contacts outside of Stamford Bridge suggest the club submitted up to three offers totaling £68 million during the summer, indicating a strong desire to secure the player.
Scott, who recently earned his first cap for England, has become a key figure for his club. Bournemouth sources, however, maintain they have no intention of selling the player in January, despite the significant interest.
In parallel, Chelsea is reportedly concerned about the proliferation of "out of control" deepfake videos circulating online. These AI-generated videos have targeted figures such as Xabi Alonso and Morgan Rogers. While Rogers has been seen to "see the funny side" of deepfakes involving him and Declan Rice, the club fears the trend could escalate and cause further issues.
The club is also arranging a behind-closed-doors friendly against Portsmouth this weekend. This match is intended to help players who are not getting regular game time, such as Marco Palestra, regain fitness.