According to a report by Football London on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Arsenal transfer target Eli Junior Kroupi has returned to full first-team training at Bournemouth, boosting his recovery and potentially attracting renewed interest ahead of the January transfer window.

The 20-year-old forward has been sidelined since July after suffering a fractured metatarsal during a training session. The injury required surgery and disrupted his development plans for the current season.

Kroupi’s recovery has progressed positively, allowing him to rejoin his teammates in training. Bournemouth manager Marco Rose has confirmed the forward’s return, although his involvement in competitive matches will be carefully managed.

“Junior is back into the team training, but not on the UEFA list,” Rose explained. “But maybe we can have him for some minutes in Manchester.”

Rose’s comments suggest Kroupi could feature against Manchester United at Old Trafford this weekend. However, he will not be available for Bournemouth’s Europa League clash with AC Milan on Thursday.

Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam also confirmed that the youngster had resumed training with his teammates, raising hopes that he could return to action earlier than initially expected.

Kroupi was previously expected to remain unavailable until November, making his return to training an encouraging development for Bournemouth as they prepare for a crucial period in domestic and European competitions.

The France Under-21 international enjoyed an impressive campaign last season, scoring 13 league goals. He finished as Bournemouth’s leading scorer and set a record for the most Premier League goals scored by a teenager during a debut season.

His performances attracted interest from several major clubs during the summer transfer window, with Arsenal among those linked with a move. Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona were also reportedly monitoring his situation.

However, Bournemouth made it clear that Kroupi was not available for transfer, stressing his importance to their long-term plans. His subsequent injury also brought speculation about a possible summer departure to a halt.

During his absence, Bournemouth have relied on other attacking options, including Evanilson and summer signing Alvaro Rodriguez. Kroupi’s return could give Rose another valuable goalscoring option as the season progresses.

If the youngster regains full fitness and reproduces his previous form, interest from Arsenal and other potential suitors could intensify ahead of January. For now, his priority will be returning to competitive action and regaining his match fitness.