Barcelona are watching on with interest in how Eli Junior Kroupi returns from his injury lay off at Bournemouth.
The striker is set to make a return from a foot injury suffered last season in the coming weeks. It’s already seen him spend 66 days out of action and miss seven games.
But he is now in the final stretch of his recovery, something which Barcelona will be watching closely.
Summer target
The striker was on the Catalan club’s radar this summer and is highly rated by their sporting management.
Barcelona’s interest in the 20-year-old was serious this summer too. They went as far as to contact his representatives to gauge the feasibility of a move. His injury halted those efforts, but only temporarily.
The youngster remains a name that is underlined in Barcelona’s planning, particularly as Julian Alvarez continues to be difficult to sign. The Bournemouth striker is a signing that also has the backing of a significant portion of the sporting management.
Even President Joan Laporta was keen on the move, despite Bournemouth setting their asking price at €100m. There are those at Barcelona who are convinced he is destined for stardom report Sport.
Agent contacts
They will now monitor his return to fitness closely over the coming months. They are keen to see how he returns from the foot injury that has sidelined him since earlier this year.
Barcelona remain well positioned should things go well. The club have maintained contact with Kroupi’s camp to ensure they are in a healthy position.
The hope is that he continues to develop in the Premier League at Bournemouth. That would help to justify what would be a large outlay to get him.
Some at the club are already convinced he’s the perfect profile for Hansi Flick’s side. Even during the summer, some preferred his signing over Julian Alvarez. They argued that the Frenchman offered superior work rate and pressing ability.
Now they are watching on to see how he recovers at Bournemouth. If he does well, a move could be on the cards once again.
