Overview
- This weekend Barcelona sporting director Deco reactivated interest in Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi after Atlético Madrid repeatedly refused to negotiate over Julián Álvarez.
- Atlético rejected Barcelona’s reported €100m offer for Álvarez and has told Barca the player is not for sale, prompting club leaders to say they will move on if the stance does not change.
- Bournemouth have publicly declared Kroupi non-transferable for this summer, with football operations chief Tiago Pinto calling him a project cornerstone and setting a reported €100m valuation.
- Kroupi is a 20-year-old France U21 striker who scored 13 goals in 35 Premier League appearances and has drawn interest from Europe’s top clubs, but his agent Moussa Sissoko has denied any talks with Barcelona.
- With an informal end-of-July deadline and a self-imposed €100m cap, Barcelona face a narrowing window to land a recognised No. 9 and may rely on existing signings and youth if both targets remain unavailable.