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Barcelona Reopens Pursuit of Eli Junior Kroupi as Alvarez Alternative

The club has revived Kroupi as a contingency to keep its striker search alive while Alvarez talks face heavy obstacles and Bournemouth resists selling.

Overview

  • Mid-June reporting shows Barcelona have reactivated interest in 19-year-old Eli Junior Kroupi as a fallback option if they cannot sign Julián Álvarez.
  • Bournemouth has publicly insisted Kroupi is not for sale this summer and has placed a steep asking price reported between €70 million and €100 million, leaving the club with strong leverage thanks to a contract running to 2030.
  • Kroupi broke through in 2025–26, scoring 12–13 Premier League goals and setting a record for goals by a teenager in a debut season, which is driving wide interest from Europe’s top clubs.
  • Barcelona view a summer move for Kroupi as risky because of his youth and limited top-level experience and would prefer to delay a transfer if Alvarez remains a viable target.
  • Multiple elite clubs are tracking Kroupi and sources say Barcelona could explore player-plus-cash offers to bridge the valuation gap, but no formal bid or transfer agreement has been reported.