Tottenham-linked Bournemouth talent wanted by Barcelona.
Tottenham Hotspur managed to avoid disaster last season by narrowly escaping relegation at the expense of London rivals West Ham. They have responded impressively in the transfer market, backing Roberto De Zerbi with six signings thus far.
Spurs have broken their transfer record twice and shattered their wage structure this summer. It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if they continue bringing in reinforcements. Roberto De Zerbi currently has the likes of Mathys Tel, Richarlison, Dominic Solanke and Mohammed Kudus to select from in attack, but he clearly wants more to help the Lilywhites challenge for the Champions League spots in the forthcoming campaign.
With Richarlison and Tel linked with an exit, and Solanke spending large chunks of the campaign on the sidelines with an ankle problem, signing a No.9 has become an absolute must. Tottenham reportedly remain determined to sign Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi.
Barcelona open talks with representatives of Eli Junior Kroupi
Eli Junior Kroupi was a revelation in the Premier League last term, impressing with his speed, movement, link-up play and clinical finishing. The Frenchman broke the long-standing record for the most goals by a teenager in his debut Premier League season, netting 13 times in 33 appearances.
A host of clubs across Europe have been keeping tabs on the 20-year-old. Now, according to reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona have opened talks to sign Kroupi. The Catalan giants have held discussions with both the player’s camp and Bournemouth over a move.
“One name to watch in the next weeks of transfer window is Junior Kroupi, the striker from Bournemouth,”Fabrizio Romano said on his YouTube channel.
“According to my information, Barcelona opened talks with people close to Kroupi and also spoke to Bournemouth about Kroupi as a possibility upfront. So, Barcelona took some information and made some calls to understand the situation.
“He’s a player they appreciate. So, for sure, the name of Kroupi is a name to keep under consideration for Barcelona. The problem is that this deal is also very complicated because Bournemouth don’t want to sell the player this summer. Bournemouth insist on keeping Kroupi at the club this summer, and so it’s not easy for Barcelona.”
Tottenham must act fast!
Barcelona are finding their pursuit of Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez to be complicated. Atletico Madrid are refusing to even negotiate for the Argentina international, who was recently on World Cup duty, leading to the Catalan giants switching their focus to his alternative, Kroupi.
Kroupi’s name is on the Spanish champions’ wishlist, as Hansi Flick looks to add a quality No.9 to his squad following the departure of Robert Lewandowski. The Frenchman is expected to cost over £80m, as the Cherries want to do everything within their powers to keep him at the club.
Barca do have the resources to finance a move, but it’s high time Tottenham wake up and test Bournemouth’s resolve for Kroupi. We need to act fast and try our best to lure the 20-year-old to N17, although it’d be difficult to compete with the Spanish powerhouse for the highly-rated forward’s signature.