Arsenal target Kroupi nears Bournemouth return amid £90m interest
Arsenal’s long term interest in Eli Junior Kroupi has been handed a boost, with the Bournemouth forward taking part in training this week as he closes in on a return from a foot injury sustained in pre-season.
The 20 year old Frenchman, who underwent surgery in July, could feature against Manchester United this Sunday, according to Bournemouth boss Marco Rose. It marks a significant step forward for a player Arsenal have been tracking since last season.
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Who's out, who's back and what it means for the next two games.
According to football.london, which first revealed Arsenal’s interest in Kroupi back in May, Mikel Arteta’s side made him a key target over the summer as they prioritised signing a marquee forward. Bournemouth, however, rebuffed any approach, insisting their talisman was not for sale and would benefit from another season at the club following their qualification for European football.
Kroupi scored 13 goals in his debut Premier League campaign, including the strike against Manchester City that played a part in deciding the title race. His injury, combined with Bournemouth’s refusal to sell, pushed Arsenal to focus their summer efforts elsewhere, most notably on Julian Alvarez.
Alvarez pursuit falls away
Arsenal maintained interest in the Atletico Madrid striker right up until the transfer window closed, hoping he would have a change of heart. Alvarez had made clear his preference for a move to Barcelona, and after Atletico blocked that switch, he chose to stay in Madrid rather than head to England, despite facing criticism from his own supporters for going on strike during the saga.
Diego Simeone has since praised Alvarez’s attitude, and the Argentine scored his first goal of the season this week. With him now fully reintegrated into the Atletico squad, a January move to Arsenal looks increasingly unlikely, even though Arteta is said to still rate him highly.
Why Arsenal still need a forward
Arsenal’s need for additional firepower up front 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 the scale of the issue in the final third.
That has kept Kroupi on the radar, with reports suggesting Arsenal could revisit their interest in January. The Frenchman, under contract at Bournemouth until 2030, is said to be valued at around £90-100million, a fee reflecting both his age and his impact in the Premier League so far.
His return to training represents a timely development for Arsenal, who held back in the summer after missing out on a big money forward signing. Whether that translates into a concrete move in the new year will depend on how Kroupi performs once fully fit, and on Bournemouth’s willingness to negotiate this time around.
