Tottenham are veering towards the start of their pre-season friendlies, and the top two names on the striker depth chart are Dominic Solanke and Richarlison.
The club has done a whole lot to reinvent its defence and midfield, but our attack remains unimproved.
We know there's plenty of work going on behind-the-scenes, with an array of wingers being considered in addition to Manchester City's Savinho. However, Spurs are also in the market for a centre-forward this summer, and Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi had been earmarked by several outlets as the club's primary target.
Some suggested that the suddenly carefree Lilywhites would test the Cherries' resolve with a mammoth offer, but it seems that it'd take something ridiculous for Spurs, or any interested club for that matter, to wind up with the French sharpshooter before the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
Bournemouth are refusing to sell Eli Junior Kroupi this summer
Bournemouth are readying themselves for their first experience of European football via the Europa League next season, with new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola inspiring the south coast club to new heights at the end of his three-year reign.
They were forced to reset last summer, then lost Antoine Semenyo in January—curiously improving during the second-half of the season. Spurs have already snatched Marcos Senesi on a free transfer, and Bournemouth aren't keen on losing any more of their key cogs ahead of a historic campaign.
According to The i Paper, the likes of Kroupi have been told by the Cherries that they won't be sold this summer. Spurs had been linked with spending as much as £85m on the Frenchman, but Bournemouth won't be entertaining any offers for another year at least. They believe his value will only increase, potentially facilitating a bidding war in 12 months time.
I'm not exactly sure how reliable this source is, but it'd seem as if the Kroupi dream is over. I completely understand Bournemouth's stance, and we shouldn't be drawn into splashing an absurd fee for the France U21 international.
You do wonder where Spurs could turn next in their hunt for a striker alternative, though. We could go down the experienced route, say a Serhou Guirassy, but I've also seen a couple of refreshingly left-field options, namely Hoffenheim's Fisnik Asllani and Club Brugge's Nicolo Tresoldi.
Our recruitment has been very Premier League heavy up to this point, and it's imperative not to lose lose sight of the continental scene. Back your scouts to do their job, make sure the eye-test aligns with the all-important data, and unearth some gems.
Let's sign the next Kroupi, rather than spending Nauru's GDP on the real thing.
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