Bournemouth have made their position clear on Eli Junior Kroupi: he is not for sale in January, even with Arsenal and Manchester United circling and Tottenham also in the mix. The 20-year-old made his season debut at the weekend after returning from injury, and Bournemouth's 3-0 win over Manchester United came in the same game.
Bournemouth's stance after his injury return
Last season, Kroupi gave Bournemouth plenty to think about. He scored 13 Premier League goals in 35 league matches, which is the sort of output that brings noise from bigger clubs quickly enough.
That interest has not gone away, but Bournemouth are treating him like a player they need now rather than one they can cash in on. He has only 1 Premier League appearance this season, and that has totalled just 3 minutes so far. He also played 10 minutes in the League Cup, which suggests the comeback is being handled carefully.
France and the wider appeal
Kroupi has also talked openly about his international aim. Speaking to sportsmole.co.uk, he said: "I have always played for France’s youth teams. I was born in France, I started playing football in France. I cannot see myself going to a culture I do not know. The France national team is my goal."
He added: "I have no idea!" when asked what might have happened had he stayed fit. The club angle is more immediate for Bournemouth, though. They have a forward back from injury, Premier League interest building around him, and no intention of letting him go in January.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
