Official | Bournemouth not to release France’s Eli Junior Kroupi for the U-21 Euros | OneFootball

AFC Bournemouth have opted not to release Eli Junior Kroupi (18) for the UEFA U-21 Euros, the French FA has announced. The 18-year-old French striker, who topped Ligue 2’s goalscoring charts with Lorient this season, has received his first-ever call-up by France U21 manager Gérard Baticle for a training camp ahead of the Euros. However, the tournament is not part of the FIFA calendar, which means clubs are allowed to pull their players out of the squad. Bournemouth did so with Eli Junior Kroupi. Rennes followed suit with Arnaud Kalimuendo and Jérémy Jacquet, whereas Lille OSC have also pulled Ayyoub Bouaddi out.

The French FA has also announced that Strasbourg winger Dilane Bakwa is not fit enough to take part in the Euros after sustaining a hamstring injury during the Alsatians’ final game of the Ligue 1 campaign. With five players now out of the France U-21 squad, Baticle has decided to call up Nantes’ sought-after striker Matthis Abline. The France U-21 squad convened on Monday at Clairefontaine for a training camp. Before flying off to Slovakia, where the Euros will be held, France will play a final friendly game against Uzbekistan on Wednesday, June 4th.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval