Bristol City do not consider star player Alex Scott's potential departure to be a certainty.

That is according to manager Nigel Pearson, who is hoping to hold onto his midfielder.

The 19-year-old is one of the most highly rated prospects in his age group, with several Premier League clubs circling.

West Ham United have already talked to his representatives, per the Evening Standard.

“Everybody seems keen to write Alex Scott off as being gone," Pearson told Bristol Live.

“If we sign somebody in that area, we're not replacing Alex Scott.

“Let me be absolutely crystal clear on that from my own perspective, anybody that we are either interested in or trying to sign or looking at in midfield is not to make room for then Alex Scott going, that's not what we're doing."