Chelsea are growing increasingly confident of signing Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott in the January transfer window, GIVEMESPORT understands.

The Bournemouth midfielder was the subject of much speculation in the summer transfer window, with the Cherries keen to keep hold of one of their prized assets.

The south coast club made it clear that the 23-year-old was not for sale, with the club opening talks over a new contract to increase his salary and tie him down for at least another season at the Vitality Stadium.

Scott has not put pen-to-paper on a new deal, however, and it looks increasingly likely that he will depart the club, if not in January, then in the next summer transfer window.

Scott has missed Bournemouth's last three Premier League games after picking up a thigh injury, that it had been feared would keep him out for a couple of months. However, manager Marco Rose delivered an update on the midfielder's rehabilitation two weeks ago.

He said: "He is healing is in a good way, better than we expected and we can progress his rehab and training now. We can bring him back on the pitch to start to see how he responds.

And we are not talking about six to eight weeks anymore. We are quite confident that we get him back maybe a little bit earlier.

Scott is Chelsea’s top target after Enzo Fernandez left the club to sign for Manchester City on deadline day over the summer.

Bournemouth value Scott at £100million and Xabi Alonso’s side are already in fresh talks having made multiple bids over the summer.

The Cherries will only do business in January if they are clear of relegation danger, but their back-to-back wins over Sunderland and Manchester United, and four-game win streak in all competitions, suggest Marco Rose has got their season going.

GMS revealed a couple of weeks ago that the Cherries had softened their stance on selling Scott in the January transfer window and it is understood that, while a mid-season departure is not guaranteed, the right offer, which would be £100million or perhaps a little more, could lead to a sale.

Liverpool also hold an interest in Scott, but have less urgency to add a midfielder in January. Monaco's Lamine Camara, who Chelsea failed to sign on deadline day in the summer, and Roma's Manu Kone are two other targets.