Bournemouth may end up losing yet another star player after Antoine Semenyo in the future, as their 19 year old prodigy Eli Junior Kroupi is reportedly wanted by the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and PSG. The young French forward has established himself as one of the most promising young talents in the Premier League this season, having scored 8 goals in 21 games despite just being 19 years old.
Eli Junior Kroupi: The Bournemouth prodigy's career so far
Born in Lorient, France, Kroupi comes from a footballing family, with his father Éli Kroupi being a former Ivory Coast international and his mother of Portuguese descent. He joined Lorient’s academy at a young age and quickly stood out as a prolific goalscorer for the reserve team. His rapid progress earned him a place in the first team, and in June 2023 he made history by becoming Lorient’s youngest-ever player in Ligue 1 at just 16 years old.
Kroupi didn’t just debut early, he broke multiple age records. He became the youngest goalscorer in Lorient’s history, later the youngest player to score twice in a Ligue 1 match in decades, and was named by The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2006 worldwide.
In February 2025, Bournemouth agreed to sign him, allowing him to stay at Lorient for the remainder of the season. He made his Premier League debut in August 2025 and scored his first goal for the club the following month, signalling a promising start to his career in England. The French forward since then has been impressive for Bournemouth in numerous games this season, and is now attracting interest from top European clubs.
Eli Junior Kroupi transfer news: French forward reported wanted by some of Europe's biggest clubs
A report from the sun has claimed that the likes of Real Madrid, PSG, Liverpool, and Chelsea all are interested in signing Eli Junior Kroupi from Bournemouth. The report also mentions that Bournemouth believe Junior Kroupi’s value is rising so fast that he could become the club’s first-ever £80 million player. The club is already in talks over a major new contract for the young forward, following a strategy similar to the improved deal they offered Antoine Semenyo shortly before his big-money move to Manchester City.
Kroupi was signed for just £10 million last year, but his rapid progress has caught the attention of Europe’s elite. Chelsea and Real Madrid are both keeping a close eye on him, with regular scouts watching his development ahead of a potential move next summer
Our opinion on Eli Junior Kroupi attracting major transfer interest from top European clubs
From whatever we've seen of him so far, Eli Junior Kroupi does indeed look to be a special talent. Thus, there is no surprise that top clubs like Chelsea and Real Madrid would be interested in him. Bournemouth are a selling club as well, and a huge bid from any of the interested teams could tempt them to sell the player.
We personally feel Eli Junior Kroupi should at least stay for another season or 2 at Bournemouth and only leave the club once he's developed even further and reaches another level. A move in the summer to any of these clubs would be too quick we feel at this stage of his career. Let's see how this transfer story develops when the summer window opens later.
