Barcelona target Kroupi posts hospital message after surgery blow

French forward Eli Junior Kroupi has reassured fans from his hospital bed after undergoing surgery that is expected to sideline the Bournemouth striker for up to four months and complicate Barcelona’s plans to sign him this summer.

The 20-year-old, viewed by Barcelona as a possible alternative to Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez, required an operation on his left foot that will rule him out until at least October and potentially November, just as talks over a big-money move were gathering pace.

Kroupi had been identified as a back-up option should Barcelona fail to secure a deal for Alvarez, with the Catalan club prepared to move for the France Under-21 international provided any transfer fee stayed below the €100m valuation Bournemouth have placed on him.

According to French newspaper L’Equipe, Barcelona submitted two offers for Kroupi earlier in the window, both of which were rejected by the Premier League side. Hopes of progressing negotiations in the coming weeks have now been hit by confirmation of the player’s injury and subsequent operation on Wednesday.

‘The operation went well’

From his hospital bed, Kroupi posted a photograph alongside his parents on his social media accounts, accompanied by a short message thanking supporters for their backing.

He wrote: “Thank you all for your messages, my family and I are very touched.. the surgery went well, and now I am fully focused on recovery, see you soon.”

The timeframe given for his absence – three to four months – means Kroupi is set to miss a significant portion of the 2024-25 campaign, diminishing the chances of any transfer being completed before the end of the current window.

A lay-off of that length would rule him out of Bournemouth’s start to the season and could prompt interested clubs, including Barcelona, to reassess both the timing and structure of any potential deal, with the forward unable to return to full training until deep into the autumn.

Breakthrough season at Bournemouth

Kroupi’s injury comes after a standout first year in English football that pushed him into the spotlight of Europe’s leading clubs.

Having joined Bournemouth from Lorient last summer, he made 35 appearances in all competitions in his debut season, scoring 13 goals. His performances were instrumental in Bournemouth securing a sixth-place finish in the Premier League and qualification for the UEFA Europa League.

That campaign, overseen by head coach Andoni Iraola, marked one of the most impressive seasons in the club’s history, with Kroupi emerging as one of the side’s most influential attacking players.

Iraola has since left Bournemouth to take charge at Liverpool, with Marco Rose appointed as his replacement at the Vitality Stadium. Kroupi’s setback means Rose will now begin his tenure without one of the squad’s key forwards available.

Transfer plans on hold

Barcelona’s interest in Kroupi is understood to be part of a broader search for attacking reinforcements, with the club weighing options in case a move for Alvarez cannot be completed.

However, with Bournemouth standing firm over their valuation and the striker now facing months of rehabilitation, any immediate move appears unlikely. The situation leaves Kroupi focused on his recovery while his future, and Barcelona’s attacking plans, remain uncertain heading into the final weeks of the transfer window.