The Premier League-bound Frenchman looks poised for greatness after a stunning breakthrough in 2024-25
According to , Real Madrid, Tottenham and RB Leipzig all wanted to sign Eli Junior Kroupi in the winter transfer window. However, it was Bournemouth who won the race for the 18-year-old's signature on deadline day, striking a £10 million ($13m) deal with Ligue 2 side Lorient.
Bournemouth chairman Bill Foley also purchased a 33 percent stake in Lorient at the start of January through his Black Knight Football and Entertainment LLC organisation and, in the end, that's what gave the Cherries the edge in negotiations for Kroupi. The teenage forward is staying at the Stade du Moustoir for the remainder of the season, but in the summer he will complete his move to the Vitality Stadium and begin his journey in the Premier League.
Kroupi has already been given big billing by Bournemouth technical director Simon Francis, who said in the club's official transfer announcement: "We're very excited to sign somebody with such potential. He's shown a high level of natural technical ability and awareness for a player so young, and the speed in which he has adapted to senior football has been very encouraging."
Francis wasn't exaggerating in the slightest. Kroupi has been the standout player for Bournemouth's sister club in their bid to secure an immediate return to the French top flight, with his quality and confidence shining through against even the most well-drilled opponents. Lorient have unearthed a real gem, and GOAL is here to explain exactly why Bournemouth fans are so excited about his impending arrival on the South Coast…
Where it all began
Bournemouth's newest signing is the son of former Lorient forward 'Eli' Zahi Verges Napoles Kroupi, who helped the club win the Coupe de France and was also part of the AS Nancy squad that lifted the Coupe de la Ligue back in 2005-06. Eli Junior was born at the end of that season, and soon developed the same passion for football as his father growing up in the French region of Brittany.
Kroupi joined Lorient's academy at the age of six, and quickly rose through their ranks, eventually breaking into the reserves in the 2021-22 campaign. The talented youngster hit nine goals in 18 games for Lorient's B team, and matched that tally the following season, piquing the interest of then-Lorient senior manager Regis Le Bris.
In a surprise move, Le Bris handed Kroupi his first-team debut on the final day of the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season, as he stepped off the bench for seven minutes in a 2-1 win over Strasbourg. Kroupi beat ex-Arsenal star Matteo Guendouzi's record as the youngest player in the club's history in the process at the tender age of 16 years and 345 days.
On the back of that achievement, another dream moment came Kroupi's way in the form of a call-up to France's U17 squad for the European Championship, but in a cruel twist of fate, he was forced to withdraw due to injury, and missed out on their run to the final. That blow only strengthened Kroupi's resolve, though, and he reported for pre-season back at Lorient with a point to prove.
AdvertisementThe big break
Le Bris continued to give Kroupi opportunities in 2023-24, and was richly rewarded for his faith in the teenage attacker. Kroupi broke Andre Ayew's record as Lorient's youngest goalscorer of all time when he found the net in a 5-3 defeat to Nantes on September 23, 2023, and two weeks later he scored twice in a 3-3 draw away at Lyon – making him the youngest player to hit a brace in Ligue 1 since 1974.
Kroupi's first goal was a thing of beauty, too, as he picked the ball up 25 yards from goal before effortlessly sidestepping a defender and curling the ball into the top corner of the net. Only truly special footballers are capable of scoring goals like that, and Kroupi's overall performance left a massive impression on Tiemoue Bakayoko, who had joined Lorient on a free transfer after leaving Chelsea in the summer.
“He’s a phenomenon," Bakayoko told the official Ligue 1 website. "He reminds me a little of Kylian Mbappe in terms of the maturity of his game." Le Bris also waxed lyrical over the Lorient academy graduate, adding: "Playing football is pure joy for him. If he can continue enjoying himself this way, which I think he will, there is a bright future for him ahead, and for us too. As well as being an undeniably talented footballer, he has attracted attention and people are gravitating around him but he is focused on enjoying his football. That makes all the difference and it's a credit to him!"
Kroupi would go on to finish the season with five goals and three assists from 31 appearances in all competitions, but his impressive performances were not enough to save Lorient from relegation to Ligue 2. Le Bris subsequently left the club to take on a new challenge in England with Sunderland, with former Ajaccio boss Olivier Pantaloni swiftly drafted in as his replacement.
AFPHow it's going
Kroupi did not get much time off over the summer because he was part of the France squad that made it to the U19 European Championship final. The youngster played the full 90 minutes in the showpiece event against Spain, but Les Blues ultimately fell to a painful 2-0 loss after playing the last portion of the match with ten men due to a red card to Yoni Gomis.
The tournament was another valuable learning experience for Kroupi, though, and he hit the ground running with Lorient at the start of the 2024-25 campaign. Kroupi scored seven goals in his first 10 Ligue 2 appearances, including a superb brace in a 4-2 home win over FC Annecy, leaving Pantaloni in no doubt about his potential.
"He's a player with a lot of quality. Strikers often express themselves best when they're full of confidence, and he gives us that confidence back," the Lorient head coach told a post-match press conference. "He has to stay true to himself, listen to what's asked of him so he doesn't distort his game. He's someone who has his head on his shoulders, who's clear-headed. He feels good in the group and is greatly appreciated. He's still a kid who loves the game, but I think he's aware that, above all, efficiency is essential for a striker."
A dead leg halted Kroupi's momentum as he sat out Lorient's next five games, but he gradually built up his sharpness again after returning to the pitch, recording three goal contributions in seven league outings across December and January. A move to the Premier League was then arranged for Kroupi, much to the delight of Bournemouth boss Adoni Iraola.
"He is ahead of the normal trajectory of a player," Iraola said. "I think he's performing very well, he has been very successful with Lorient and the national team. I'm very happy." Kroupi could have taken his foot off the gas after confirmation of the deal with Bournemouth and cruised to the end of his contract, but instead, he's gone on to beat Emmanuel Adebayor's record as the youngest player to score 11 or more goals in Ligue 2, and put Lorient on the cusp of promotion at the top of the table. Winning the first title of his career would be the perfect way for Kroupi to depart his boyhood club, and they have every chance of getting over the line if he maintains his prolific strike-rate.
AFPBiggest strengths
Described as "unflappable" by Lorient captain Laurent Abergel, Kroupi is a versatile player who can operate anywhere across the frontline. He is at his most effective as a false nine or second striker, though, because he loves to receive the ball on the turn and look for quick passing interchanges to unlock defences.
Kroupi possesses a very high footballing IQ for such a young player, which is reflected in his movement off the ball and decision-making on it. He's also a brilliant finisher who very rarely misses the target when he gets a sight of goal, as defences across Ligue 2 have found out to their peril this season.
Despite his relatively small stature, Kroupi is a real threat in the air, too, with the natural spring and timing to outfox his taller markers. As if all that wasn't enough, Kroupi is also capable of beating anyone for pace over 10 yards, and has quick feet to match, making him a nightmare to try and stop in full flow.
