Arsenal forward target Kroupi nears return amid £90m interest
Arsenal’s pursuit of a new forward could be handed a significant boost, with transfer target Eli Junior Kroupi taking part in Bournemouth’s training session as he closes in on his return from injury.
The 20 year old Frenchman has been linked with Arsenal since last season, and football.london revealed back in May that the club held an interest in him even before his goal against Manchester City helped hand Arsenal the title.
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Kroupi, who scored 13 goals in his first Premier League campaign, emerged as a key target for Mikel Arteta over the summer as Arsenal prioritised signing a marquee forward. However, Bournemouth made clear their talisman was not for sale, with the club believing another season at the Vitality Stadium would benefit his development, especially given their newly secured European football. A foot injury sustained in pre-season further complicated any move.
Alvarez pursuit falls short
That situation, combined with Kroupi’s fitness issues, led Arsenal to turn their attention elsewhere, with Julian Alvarez becoming the priority target. Arsenal maintained their interest in the Atletico Madrid striker right up until deadline day, hoping he would have a change of heart.
Alvarez had been open about Barcelona being his preferred destination, and after Atletico repeatedly rejected approaches from the Catalan club, he chose to stay in Madrid rather than move to England, despite being booed by his own supporters over his handling of the situation.
Arteta is still said to rate Alvarez highly, but a January move now looks increasingly unlikely following his full reintegration into Diego Simeone’s squad. Simeone has praised the Argentine’s application in recent weeks, which has coincided with him scoring his first goal of the season.
Kroupi edges closer to fitness
Arsenal’s need for attacking reinforcement has not gone away. The club have scored fewer goals than any other side in the Premier League’s top four this season, and reports have continued to link Arsenal with a fresh attempt to sign Kroupi in January.
Kroupi, valued at around £90 100million and under contract at Bournemouth until 2030, underwent surgery on his foot in July. Bournemouth boss Marco Rose confirmed this week that the France Under-21 international is back in training and could even feature against Manchester United this Sunday.
His return to full fitness and form would come at a useful time for Arsenal, who held their nerve in the summer rather than rush into a big money forward signing. Whether that patience translates into a January move for Kroupi remains to be seen, but his recovery removes one of the obstacles that stood in the way of a deal earlier this year.
