Arsenal target Kroupi vows to 'play for the biggest clubs in the world'
Arsenal have been credited with past interest in Eli Junior Kroupi, and the Bournemouth striker has now made a statement that will catch the eye of anyone at the Emirates keeping tabs on his future.
Speaking to DAZN France, as quoted by Spanish outlet Diario SPORT, Kroupi said: “I'm going to give my all to play for the biggest clubs in the world, in the best leagues in the world. When I was little, playing in the Premier League was my dream. As I grew up, that dream became a goal.”
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Asked directly whether he would have stayed at Bournemouth had he not suffered a foot injury in pre-season that required surgery, Kroupi was coy. “I can't say. I don't know what would have happened,” he replied, before adding: “At Bournemouth, I'm going to give everything for the fans and to help the team perform.”
Arsenal's interest in the summer
According to football.london, Arsenal were interested in signing Kroupi during the summer window as Mikel Arteta looked to add depth to his forward line, but Bournemouth made clear the 20 year old was not for sale. His contract at the Vitality Stadium runs until June 2030, giving the Cherries considerable leverage in any future negotiations.
Kroupi has only recently returned to action following his spell on the sidelines, but Arsenal are expected to continue monitoring his progress. It remains to be seen whether sporting director Andrea Berta will move to test Bournemouth's resolve when the January window opens, with the France Under-21 international yet to fully re-establish himself after injury.
Bournemouth's plan to keep hold of their talent
Bournemouth owner Bill Foley addressed the club's broader strategy for retaining young talent in an interview with talkSPORT, discussing the situation of Alex Scott alongside Kroupi's. “Sometimes players get stars in their eyes, and they think that Chelsea or Manchester City is the right place to go,” Foley said.
“We believe, if we keep on buying infrastructure and a common thread of leadership across the team, then we will start keeping more and more players. People will be surprised about that, and they'll be able to earn substantial wages here,” he continued. Foley also pointed to the club's new performance centre as part of the plan to convince players to stay for longer.
“It may not be this year, it may not be next year in terms of everyone, but we're close. We have to prove to the players this is a place they want to be and that they want to stay, and they don't want to move on because that's the way we really build a successful team,” he added.
With Kroupi's ambitions now stated publicly and his contract situation giving Bournemouth control over any sale, Arsenal's interest looks set to remain a watching brief rather than an active pursuit heading into January.
