Tottenham could be in line for a significant boost in their pursuit of Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi this summer. The 20-year-old has emerged as a priority target for Spurs as they press ahead with their overhaul under Roberto De Zerbi.
As reported by our sister title football.london, Kroupi has firmly caught the eye of the North London club. Competition for his signature is fierce, however, with both Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain also said to be keeping close tabs on the youngster.
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Bournemouth are widely expected to dig their heels in over any potential departure for one of their prized assets, with the Cherries reportedly slapping an £80million price tag on the forward following his impressive haul of 13 Premier League goals last season.
Yet their recent activity in the transfer market may hint at a willingness to reconsider their position. BBC Sport reports that the south-coast club have struck an agreement with Elche for striker Alvaro Rodriguez.
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Bournemouth will shell out an initial £21.4million for the striker, with the fee potentially rising to £25.7million. The forward has been brought in to provide a challenge to Evanilson and bears a striking resemblance in style and position to Kroupi.
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The imminent arrival of Rodriguez could signal that Bournemouth are now more open to negotiations over Kroupi, with a ready-made replacement already secured at the Vitality Stadium. A sufficiently lucrative offer may therefore persuade the club to cash in on their prized asset.
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Spurs have already demonstrated this summer that they are prepared to splash the cash. On Thursday, the £85million transfer for midfielder Mateus Fernandes was finalised.
Tottenham have also settled on a fee of up to £100million with Newcastle for midfielder Sandro Tonali. De Zerbi's side had previously spent £52m to wrap up a deal for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
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As well as Kroupi, who is understood to be Tottenham's primary target, Spurs are also believed to be expressing interest in both AC Milan's Rafael Leao and Manchester City's Savinho. In addition to Fernandes and Van Hecke, Spurs have sealed deals for Martin Dubravka, Marco Senesi and Andy Robertson.
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