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Finishing fifth at the end of the 2025/26 season drew significant criticism of Arne Slot’s tenure, with sections of the Liverpool fanbase divided over his future as the club entered a period of transition, particularly with senior figures Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson departing as free agents.
Although Fenway Sports Group (FSG) were initially expected to retain the former Feyenoord boss, they have now made a U-turn and sacked the 47-year-old, with attention turning to potential replacements.
Andoni Iraola’s rise at Bournemouth has attracted widespread interest, with the Spaniard leading the Cherries to their first-ever European qualification.
Liverpool have reportedly reached an agreement with Iraola to replace Slot. Should the move be confirmed, several Bournemouth players could also become targets.
One such option is teenage forward Eli Junior Kroupi, who enjoyed an impressive debut Premier League campaign under Iraola, scoring 13 goals and setting a record for the highest-scoring teenager in a debut season in league history.
The 19-year-old is attracting growing interest from Liverpool, especially as Hugo Ekitike is expected to miss a significant portion of next season due to injury.
Eli Junior Kroupi, who was signed from Lorient, is under contract at the Vitality Stadium until 2030. According to Footmercato, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Manchester City have all placed him on their shortlist.
Manchester City are also said to have already held internal meetings regarding the striker. For PSG, the situation is far from straightforward, as they have only recently entered the race.
Bournemouth are demanding around €100million for the forward. However, PSG hold one significant advantage. Eli Junior Kroupi is said to dream of playing for the Parisian club and would be open to a move to the French champions.
This represents an important early step in what is expected to become a heated transfer battle. Aware of his potential as one of Europe’s emerging stars, several top clubs are preparing to compete fiercely for his signature.
Bournemouth President of Football Operations Tiago Pinto has, however, issued a firm stance on Junior Kroupi’s future, insisting the Frenchman is not for sale.
Tiago Pinto said: “Junior Kroupi will not leave Bournemouth. His contract is still more than four years long, there is no termination clause and he is not going anywhere. We will not sell Kroupi even if Barcelona or Liverpool offer 100 million euros. That is completely ruled out.”