Eli Junior Kroupi gives Manchester City green light ahead of £80M transfer talks | OneFootball

Manchester City will need to pay £80 million for Bournemouth starlet Eli Junior Kroupi in the upcoming transfer window, as per reports.

City director of football Hugo Viana has already met with Kroupi’s agent to discuss a potential move to the Etihad Stadium, with the French teenager identified as one of many attacking targets, alongside RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, as Viana continues to plan for a significant summer of recruitment.

Kroupi has been one of the most talked-about young forwards in the Premier League this season, drawing widespread attention from clubs across Europe with a series of electric performances for Bournemouth that have underlined the scale of his potential at an age when most players are still finding their feet at the top level.

Report: Bournemouth to demand £80M with no release clause

According to Sun Sport’s Rahman Osman, Bournemouth will demand a transfer fee in the region of £80 million for any club chasing Kroupi, who is said to be attracting serious interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City.

Aside from interest within the Premier League, the report also indicates that sides in France have also held talks with the teenager’s agent in a bid to lure him back to his homeland, while the player is eager to test himself at the very top and would welcome a big move.

Elsewhere, as per talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Kroupi is not believed to have a release clause in his contract, handing Bournemouth a significant boost in their hopes of securing a mammoth fee for the player this summer.

What is the wider context for City’s interest in Kroupi?

The absence of a release clause is a notable development in the context of City’s pursuit. It hands Bournemouth full control of the negotiation and makes any sale entirely contingent on the Cherries receiving a fee they deem sufficient – removing any possibility of a cut-price exit for a player they will be desperate to retain if at all possible.

City’s interest in Kroupi fits the broader profile of attacking recruitment Viana has targeted since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium.

The 19-year-old’s direct, high-energy style would complement the existing presence of Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo in Guardiola’s frontline, while the prospect of significant development under the City manager will be among the most persuasive elements of any pitch to the player himself.

Competition from Liverpool and Chelsea, both clubs with the financial firepower to meet Bournemouth’s valuation, means City cannot afford complacency in their pursuit, even with Viana’s early groundwork having established a degree of personal contact with the player’s camp.

At £80 million for a teenager, it would represent one of the most expensive acquisitions in the club’s history – a statement of intent from Viana that the rebuild at the Etihad Stadium is moving at pace and without hesitation.