Arsenal and Manchester United have joined the race for Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi after his return from injury put him firmly back on the radar of Europe’s biggest clubs, TEAMtalk understands.

The 20-year-old made his season debut at the weekend, coming off the bench late on during Bournemouth’s 3-0 victory over Manchester United, and his return to action has reignited interest in his services ahead of the January transfer window.

Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur were all pushing to sign Kroupi during the summer, only for his hopes of a move to be derailed by a foot problem that required surgery.

Kroupi is now fully fit and ready to resume his development after a sensational first campaign in English football, during which he scored 13 Premier League goals and established himself as one of the most exciting young attacking talents in the country.

That form attracted widespread attention across Europe, with several major clubs assessing the possibility of bringing him in during the summer.

Tottenham were particularly keen, and we revealed that Spurs were prepared to put record-breaking figures on the table in their pursuit of the Bournemouth star.

We can now confirm that Tottenham remain firmly in the conversation, but they face significant competition, with Arsenal and Manchester United having made enquiries about Kroupi’s fitness and current situation.

Bournemouth’s Kroupi stance revealed as Arsenal, Man Utd join hunt

The interest from the Premier League trio underlines how highly Kroupi is regarded, despite his disrupted start to the new campaign.

Arsenal continue to assess attacking options, while United have also been alerted to the possibility of a future move for the forward following his return to full fitness.

PSG, Barcelona and Chelsea have also maintained their interest, having been among the clubs pushing hardest for Kroupi before his injury intervened.

His return to the pitch is therefore expected to intensify the attention surrounding his future, with the coming months giving potential suitors the chance to assess his form and fitness.

However, Bournemouth are adamant that Kroupi will not be leaving in January.

Sources close to the Cherries insist the club are delighted to have the forward back available and believe he can play a major role in improving their fortunes over the coming months.

While they appear to have turned a corner, Bournemouth endured a difficult start under new head coach Marco Rose, and the club view Kroupi’s return as a significant boost as they look to climb the Premier League table.

His goals and attacking quality are seen as crucial to their ambitions for the remainder of the season.

The Cherries recognise that keeping hold of their most sought-after players will be challenging, particularly with England international Alex Scott potentially leaving in the New Year. However, the club are determined to avoid a wider exodus and have made clear that Kroupi is not available for a mid-season departure.

The same stance applies to other important attacking players, including Rayan and Marcus Tavernier, with Bournemouth keen to retain their core group as Rose continues to shape the team.