Hugo Viana and Manchester City make Bournemouth inquiry over Eli Junior Kroupi | OneFootball

Manchester City have made contact with Bournemouth to enquire about the availability of forward Eli Junior Kroupi, as per a new report.

Eli Junior Kroupi has been on Manchester City‘s radar for some time, with director of football Hugo Viana having identified the 19-year-old as one of two attacking targets for the summer window.

City previously held an agent meeting over a potential move for the French teenager earlier this year, with Kroupi understood to have given the Blues the green light over a potential transfer.

Bournemouth are understood to be seeking around £80 million for Kroupi, who does not have a release clause in his contract running till 2030 – handing the Cherries full control of any negotiation and considerable leverage over clubs regardless of the level of interest.

Report: City, PSG & Arsenal all contact Bournemouth

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City have contacted Bournemouth to enquire about Kroupi‘s situation this summer, with PSG and Arsenal also calling the south coast club to establish the asking price for one of the most coveted young forwards in European football.

The breadth of interest from clubs of this calibre underlines the scale of the challenge facing City in their pursuit of a player they have been tracking for months.

With PSG – who have retained the UEFA Champions League title – and Budapest failures Arsenal also in the picture, Viana will need to move decisively if City are to emerge from what is shaping up to be an intensely competitive race.

What is the wider context for City’s pursuit of Kroupi?

City’s interest in Kroupi has been consistent throughout the season and predates the managerial change, making him one of the few transfer targets whose appeal spans both the Guardiola and Maresca eras at the Etihad Stadium.

A separate pursuit of Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo earlier this year illustrated both City’s appetite for Bournemouth talent and the financial reality of dealing with a club that has shown no reluctance to command top-of-market fees.

Kroupi has no release clause, Bournemouth have no obligation to sell and multiple clubs of the highest order are now circling: a combination that gives the Cherries an unusually strong hand in negotiations.

At £80 million for a 19-year-old, the deal would represent one of the most significant investments in the club’s recent history. But for a player who gave City the green light months ago, the intent from the Etihad Stadium is clear.

Whether they can beat PSG and Arsenal to his signature is the question that will define the next chapter of this pursuit.