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Chelsea have entered the “race” for Bournemouth striker Junior Kroupi, according to reports.
The Daily Mail claim that the Blues are interested in recruiting the 19-year-old after a “brilliant season” in which he broke the Premier League record for the most goals scored by a teenager.
While Xabi Alonso‘s side have been informed that Kroupi is not for sale, they want to be kept informed about his situation.
The France Under-21 international is also attracting interest from several other Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Manchester United.
If one of those teams makes a move for Kroupi, it seems the Blues would be tempted to make their own offer.
How much would Kroupi cost?
While Bournemouth are seemingly turning away potential suitors, there have been suggestions that the Cherries would be willing to sell if a bid went as high as £80m.
That would be a massive markup on the £10m they paid Lorient for Kroupi at the start of last year.
Of course, the Blues have not been afraid of paying crazy numbers for young players in the past, but they are heading into a new era under Alonso, which could lead to a change in approach.
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Chelsea are looking to sign senior pros
The Mail report that the Blues have promised Alonso that they will sign “ready-made” players during the course of the summer transfer window.
That means the upper age limit of 25 for signings has been dispensed with, although it doesn’t necessarily rule out the recruitment of young players like Kroupi.
Considering Bournemouth’s current stance on the matter, it doesn’t look like a move for the Frenchman will be made in the short term, but it is a story to keep an eye on.
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