Tottenham have been dealt a setback in their pursuit of top attacking target.
Tottenham Hotspur began the summer by reinforcing their defensive unit. They signed Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke to improve their defence. The Lilywhites followed it up by splashing big money on central midfielders Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.
Spurs are undoubtedly also expected to strengthen their attack ahead of De Zerbi’s first full season in charge. The N17 bosses are now working to secure Manchester City winger Savinho, but he is not expected to be the only attacker to arrive through the door. Roberto De Zerbi is also looking for a new forward, but he has now received a blow in his club’s efforts to land a Premier League talent, who was at the top of the Italian tactician’s wishlist.
Tottenham suffer blow in pursuit of Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi
Reports have revealed that Tottenham have shown a keen interest in Eli Junior Kroupi, who enjoyed a strong debut season with Bournemouth. He netted 13 goals in 33 Premier League appearances for the south coast side.
While Bournemouth have continued to insist that the France Under-21 international is not for sale, that has seemingly not deterred the interest of the Lilywhites. De Zerbi’s club have identified Eli Junior Kroupi as their top striker target and were plotting a big offer for him. However, they have now suffered a setback in their pursuit of the Bournemouth man.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Kroupi has undergone foot surgery and is expected to be out for three to four months. He suffered the injury during Bournemouth’s pre-season trip to Austria and returned to England for treatment. The Frenchman underwent an operation on Wednesday and will likely not return to action until around October or November.
This update should dramatically alter Tottenham’s plans. De Zerbi is understood to be a huge admirer of Kroupi and rates him exceptionally highly, which only illustrates his desire to sign the player. The news comes at the worst possible time for the 46-year-old and his club, who are desperate to add goals, flair and creativity to their attack.
Fortunately, Tottenham have alternative targets for Kroupi lined up. Club Brugge’s Nicolo Tresoldi is one of those, but the North Londoners must act swiftly to sign him due to Manchester United keeping close tabs on him as well.