Manchester City face disappointment in chase for £100 million Premier League forward

Bournemouth’s ‘bullish’ stance on Junior Kroupi

Now, according to The i Paper’s Mark Douglas, while all of Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are among the clubs keen on Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi, the teenager is not for sale at any price this summer.

The Cherries are said to be bullish about their chances of retaining key talents under new manager Marco Rose, with there also being no release clause in Kroupi’s contract signed in February 2025 following a £10 million transfer from Lorient.

As such, the earliest a transfer would be considered is the summer of 2027, according to the report, and then the value would be more than £100 million.

How a block on Kroupi could affect Manchester City

The lack of a release clause is undoubtedly a hammer blow for Manchester City, who have frequently utilised such a contract mechanism to land the likes of Erling Haaland in recent years.

Without a clear exit price, City would now be forced into a bidding war against some of their European rivals, likely driving the price well beyond the £100 million mark cited initially by those at Bournemouth.

And for a player who will still only be 20-years-old in 2027, the potential for a world-record transfer fee for a teenager remains a very real possibility, should he remain on the development pathway that he is currently on.

For now, Hugo Viana must decide whether to pivot toward other high-profile targets, or wait another 12 months to land the Frenchman, largely depending on the necessity for attacking reinforcements this summer.