Barcelona centre-forward target out for 3-4 months with pre-season injury
Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi will be sidelined for three to four months following surgery for a foot fracture. The injury complicates Barcelona's transfer plans, as they had identified him as a key alternative target.
Why it matters
The injury impacts both the player's career trajectory and the transfer strategy of a major European football club.
FC Barcelona 's search for a new centre-forward has suffered an unexpected setback after Eli Junior Kroupi , one of the club's leading alternative targets, was ruled out for up to four months with injury.
According to The Athletic, the Bournemouth striker underwent surgery on Wednesday after suffering a fracture to the fifth metatarsal during the club's pre-season training camp in Austria .
The injury is the same one that sidelined Barcelona 's Fermin Lopez towards the end of last season, just before the World Cup.
Kroupi is expected to be unavailable for between three and four months and is unlikely to return before late October or November, depending on the progress of his recovery.
The injury is a significant setback for both Bournemouth and the 20-year-old forward, who had emerged as one of the Premier League's most promising young attackers.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in