Liverpool are linked with a move to hire Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, but reports are suggesting they could also sign teenager Eli Junior Kroupi.
Kroupi became the first teenager to score 13 goals in a debut Premier League season, starring in Iraola’s intense attacking unit this season. His form has attracted huge interest from the biggest clubs in the Premier League and abroad.
While it would be very surprising to see Liverpool spend the reported £80m asking price that the Cherries have set, there is no denying that Kroupi is one of the most exciting players to have emerged in the last year.
Liverpool are also heavily linked with RB Leipzig’s teenage star Yan Diomande, who scored 13 goals and provided 10 assists for the Bundesliga side this season.
Latest Eli Junior Kroupi news as summer transfer battle heats up
According to TEAMtalk, Bournemouth are reportedly “facing an increasingly tough task” in their attempts to hang onto Kroupi after his wonderful debut season in England’s top flight.
?? Eli Junior Kroupi is the REAL DEAL.
His technique and finishing in this clip is an absolute joke. ?? pic.twitter.com/y2nD4gpUyo
— Football Tweet ?? (@Footballtweet) May 22, 2026
The player’s representatives have, per the report, held “preliminary” talks with Manchester City over a move to the Etihad this summer. That said, Bournemouth will not budge on their asking price and are described as being “ready to dig their claws in and will not sanction a deal easily.”
Regarding interest from other major Premier League clubs, TEAMtalk journalist Fraser Fletcher writes: “Indeed, Arsenal have also monitored him closely, while Chelsea and Liverpool are long-term admirers who have considered potential summer bids. Manchester United are another Premier League heavyweight who are keeping tabs on him and watching developments closely.”
Meanwhile, the likes of Barcelona, PSG, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are also interested.
If a club decides to make a serious push to sign Kroupi this summer, they will have to pay the £80 million (€92m) price Bournemouth have set to deliberately ward off an exit.
These claims have seemingly been corroborated by another journalist, with transfer expert Ekrem Konur reporting a similar story on X on Friday.
Liverpool may be interested in Kroupi, but their attacking priority remains signing top wide players to replace Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah, while the performance of Cody Gakpo this season left much to be desired.