Barcelona join race for 19-year-old Bournemouth attacking sensation – Report | OneFootball

The centre forward position is one of the areas that FC Barcelona are expected to prioritise heavily in the upcoming summer transfer window. The Catalan side still has an important decision to make regarding whether to continue relying on Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski, especially with the latter nearing the end of his contract, or to bring in a new long-term solution for the role.

In this regard, Julian Alvarez has emerged as the priority target for the Blaugranes. However, signing him from Atletico Madrid is expected to be very complicated, which is why the club is also keeping an eye on alternative options in the market.

One such option is Eli Junior Kroupi. As reported by Mundo Deportivo, citing Daily Mail, Barcelona are closely monitoring the 19-year-old striker, who has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in the Premier League this season.

Currently playing under Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth, the young Frenchman has scored 12 league goals and has been a key figure in his side’s push for European qualification.

His performances have attracted interest from several top clubs, including Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea, which could lead to a significant battle for his signature.

Barcelona were already aware of Kroupi’s potential during his time at FC Lorient, but his performances in England have further strengthened his case as a high-level attacking prospect.

From a financial perspective, the deal will not be easy. Bournemouth signed him for a relatively modest fee and are now in a strong position to demand a much higher price, especially after recent big sales such as Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid and Ilya Zabarnyi to PSG.

With Lewandowski entering the final phase of his time at the club, Barcelona are also looking at younger profiles who can take over the role in the long run, making Kroupi a player of particular interest.

It remains to be seen whether Barcelona will be able to compete with the financial power of Premier League clubs, but the French striker is clearly one of the names being closely followed as the club assesses its options for the number nine position.