Man Utd scouts left stunned by £60m-rated 10-goal Prem star seen as dream Zirkzee upgrade

Manchester United dispatched scouts to the North-East at the weekend to take in Bournemouth’s 2-1 win over Newcastle United, and TEAMtalk can reveal the primary focus of that visit was Eli Junior Kroupi .

While Man Utd were also able to continue monitoring a number of other players they admire – including Alex Scott, Marcus Tavernier, Sandro Tonali, Lewis Hall and Bruno Guimaraes – our sources confirm that Kroupi was the central reason for their presence.

The 19-year-old has been closely tracked by United in recent weeks and has enjoyed a superb debut season in English football.

Kroupi has already hit double figures for goals, scoring 10 times, and has impressed with his versatility across the front line, although much of his football has come in a central role.

That profile is particularly appealing to Man Utd. We understand the club are targeting a versatile forward this summer, with a player expected to come in and potentially replace Joshua Zirkzee in the squad.

Kroupi is seen as a strong fit for that role, but the Red Devils are far from alone in their admiration…

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Premier League rivals Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are all tracking Kroupi’s development.

European heavyweights such as Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig are also keeping a close eye on his progress.

For Bournemouth , the situation is clear. Having already sanctioned the sale of Antoine Semenyo in January, they are determined not to lose another key attacking talent and are insisting that Kroupi is not for sale.

The forward is under contract until 2030, which puts Bournemouth in a strong negotiating position, and therefore it will take a lot more than the £10million they paid to sign him from Lorient last summer to make them consider letting him go.

We also exclusively reported back in February how growing interest in the player had seen Bournemouth already opening talks with the player over a new and improved deal as a reward for his rapid progress.

Per reports, the teenager is now valued in the £60m bracket.

For now, Kroupi’s focus is on a strong end to the season, and helping the Cherries qualify for Europe for the first time in their history.

They currently sit eighth in the Premier League table, only behind seventh and sixth-placed Brentford and Chelsea on goal difference.

But with manager Andoni Iraola leaving at the season’s end, a number of their players, including Kroupi, are set to be targeted by top sides this summer once again.

But with several clubs keeping close tabs on Kroupi, Man Utd must move decisively if they want to bring him to Old Trafford.