Barcelona’s plans to reinforce their attack this summer have been dealt a significant setback after Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi was ruled out for up to four months with a foot injury.
The Catalan club are in the market for a new centre-forward following the departure of Poland striker Robert Lewandowski at the end of last season. Lewandowski’s exit had initially seen Barcelona strongly linked with Argentina international Julian Alvarez as a potential replacement.
Alvarez, currently with Atletico Madrid, emerged as a leading target, but the Spanish capital club have rejected the idea of selling the forward, forcing Barcelona to consider alternative options in the transfer market.
Kroupi, the 20-year-old French striker, subsequently became one of the main names under consideration. Barcelona identified the Bournemouth player as a possible solution in their search for a new number nine.
However, Bournemouth were unwilling to sanction a move for Kroupi before his injury, and any potential transfer has now been further complicated by a long spell on the sidelines.
According to The Athletic, Kroupi sustained a foot injury during Bournemouth’s pre-season training camp in Austria in recent weeks. He returned to England to undergo medical assessment after suffering the problem.
Subsequent tests revealed that the forward required surgery on the injured foot. The operation was carried out on Wednesday, and the initial prognosis is that Kroupi will be absent for between three and four months.
The timeframe means the France youth international is not expected to be back in full training until October or November of this year. As a result, he is set to miss a substantial portion of the 2024-25 campaign, reducing the likelihood of any immediate move away from Bournemouth.
Kroupi enjoyed an impressive first season in the Premier League following his transfer from Lorient last summer. In his debut campaign in England, he made 35 appearances in all competitions for Bournemouth, scoring 13 goals.
His contribution in front of goal was instrumental in Bournemouth securing European qualification. Under Spanish coach Andoni Iraola, the south-coast club finished sixth in the Premier League table, earning a place in the UEFA Europa League.
That achievement prompted further change at the Vitality Stadium. Iraola has since left to take over at Liverpool, with German coach Marco Rose appointed as his successor at Bournemouth.
Barcelona, meanwhile, must now reassess their striker options once again. With Lewandowski gone, Alvarez out of reach for the moment and Kroupi sidelined for the early months of the season, the club’s search for a new leading forward is set to continue into the remainder of the summer window.
