Blow for Cherries as 20-year-old faces lengthy spell out
Eli Junior Kroupi, the Bournemouth striker who scored 13 Premier League goals in his debut season, has undergone surgery on a foot injury. The procedure addresses a foot complaint that had not previously been disclosed publicly, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic.
City had made contact with Bournemouth over the 20-year-old earlier in the summer window. That conversation now takes on a different complexion.
Timeline for return
Kroupi is set to miss three to four months of action. A three to four-month absence would rule him out until October or November at the earliest. He is expected to miss the entirety of Bournemouth's pre-season preparations and the opening months of the Premier League season.
The French forward joined Bournemouth from Lorient in February 2025 in a deal worth approximately £10 million, spending the remainder of that season on loan back at his boyhood club. While on loan, he scored 22 goals in 30 appearances, finished as Ligue 2's top scorer, and helped Lorient win promotion.
A three to four-month absence would rule Kroupi out until October or November at the earliest
Kroupi's 13 goals in the Premier League last term marked him as one of the division's more promising young forwards. Whether City maintain their interest through this setback remains to be seen — but the timing certainly complicates matters.