Chelsea have been in “contact” with the agent of Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi, according to reports.
Writing on his Substack, journalist Simon Phillips said the 20-year-old is being considered as a potential “alternative” to Morgan Rogers.
The Aston Villa attacking midfielder has been a long-term target for the Blues, but there are several obstacles preventing a move for the player.
Rogers’ asking price is reportedly £130m, while it has also been claimed that he prefers to join Arsenal.
With that in mind, Kroupi has been identified as another option who could fill the “hybrid” attacking role that manager Xabi Alonso is seeking.
Most Read on Chelsea News
Chelsea won’t secure a deal easily
Pursuing Kroupi is likely to be just as difficult as Rogers, with the only difference being that the player may not have decided on his preferred destination yet.
It is believed that Bournemouth value the Frenchman at £100m, so he isn’t going to be a cheap addition to the squad.
One of the reasons why the Cherries are holding out for so much is due to interest from Paris Saint-Germain. The European champions could target him as a replacement for Goncalo Ramos, who is set to join AC Milan.
Kroupi is by no means the only player being pursued
Marco Palestra’s move from Atalanta is expected to be confirmed soon, while talks are taking place to sign Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace, Granit Xhaka from Sunderland and Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano. You can read our profile of the Spaniard here.
Of course, all of these incomings will need to be funded by sales, and 3 players are said to be on the market with combined asking prices worth £230m. Others are also expected to leave over the next couple of months. We are set for another busy summer at Stamford Bridge.