Arsenal forward target nears injury return ahead of January window
Arsenal's interest in a January forward signing has been handed a boost after Bournemouth target Eli Junior Kroupi took a major step in his recovery from a foot injury, returning to full training with the Cherries this week.
The 20 year old Frenchman has been strongly linked with Arsenal since last season, with football.london revealing back in May that the north London side were interested in Kroupi even before his goal against Manchester City helped hand Bournemouth a result that proved significant in the title race.
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Who's out, who's back and what it means for the next two games.
Kroupi scored 13 goals in his first Premier League campaign and emerged as a key target for Mikel Arteta over the summer as Arsenal prioritised signing a marquee forward. That pursuit ultimately fell short after Bournemouth made clear their talisman was not for sale, with the club believing another season at the Vitality Stadium, now with European football to offer, would benefit his development.
A foot injury sustained in pre-season further complicated any move, pushing Arsenal to focus their attentions elsewhere, most notably on Julian Alvarez. The Gunners maintained interest in the Atletico Madrid striker right up until deadline day, hoping he would have a change of heart, but Alvarez made clear his preference was a move to Barcelona. After Atletico blocked that switch, he chose to stay in the Spanish capital rather than join Arsenal, despite being booed by his own supporters for going on strike over the issue.
Arsenal's goal problem persists
While Arteta is said to still rate Alvarez highly, a January move for the Argentine now looks unlikely given his recent integration into Diego Simeone's side, with the Atletico boss praising his application and Alvarez scoring his first goal of the season this week.
Arsenal's need for attacking reinforcement has not gone away. The club have scored comfortably fewer goals than any other side in the Premier League's top four this season, a statistic that underlines why a forward remains a priority heading into the new year.
Kroupi's valuation and contract situation
Kroupi, who underwent surgery on his foot in July, is valued at around £90 million to £100 million and remains under contract at Bournemouth until 2030. Bournemouth boss Marco Rose confirmed this week that the forward is back in training and could even feature against Manchester United this Sunday.
His return to fitness and the chance to showcase his form again could work in Arsenal's favour if they look to revive interest in January, having held back from making a marquee signing over the summer. Whether Bournemouth's stance on selling has shifted remains to be seen, but Kroupi's recovery at least removes one of the obstacles that stood in the way earlier this year.
