Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Thu 21 May 2026 7:00, UK

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Eli Junior Kroupi came close to signing for West Ham United in January of last year before Bournemouth completed the deal with FC Lorient.

The Hammers had reportedly made a bid worth around £35million for the young forward, but the Cherries would eventually pay just £12m to the club their owner also has a stake in.

Nevertheless, West Ham would have been disappointed to miss out on their target at the time, but ultimately moved on.

Kroupi was loaned back to Lorient for the second half of the season and continued to thrive in the second tier of France, scoring 23 goals across all competitions over the course of the campaign.

West Ham transfer chiefs or Bournemouth decision-makers could not have expected how well the 19-year-old has adapted to Premier League football, however.

Eli Junior Kroupi makes history

Football Insider exclusively revealed in April that Manchester United are interested in Kroupi this summer, and they will be joined by several other clubs.

The young striker has made waves in the Premier League this season and has scored five goals in his last seven appearances, in a staggering run of form.

Kroupi’s brilliant finish past Gianluigi Donnarumma at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday would ultimately confirm Arsenal’s status as Premier League champions and mark some history for him, too.

With the beautifully-bended strike marking his 13th English top-flight strike, the France youth international has now scored the most debut season goals for a teenager in Premier League history.

Should he leave this summer, Bournemouth would surely expect a fee in the region of £100m for the striker, who is under contract until 2030.

But it all could have been so different, had West Ham managed to pull off a move for Kroupi last year.

The striker may not have developed in the same way, but he may well have scored the goals to keep the Hammers in the Premier League this season.

West Ham’s striker situation has been damaging

West Ham’s failure to pull off a move for Kroupi is made more painful by just how damaging their situation at the top of the pitch has been this season.

Niklas Fullkrug had started the season up front for the Hammers, but struggled massively before he was replaced by Callum Wilson and loaned out in January.

Taty Castellanos and Pablo were signed in the same window, but between them both and Wilson, West Ham have still struggled for a consistent starter.

The lack of goals may well be the most severe factor that cost West Ham their Premier League safety, should they fail to stay up on the final day.