Tottenham are said to be exploring a deal for AFC Bournemouth star Eli Junior Kroupi, who is said to be a 'dream option' for Roberto De Zerbi this winter. Spurs may have a problem at the top end of the pitch, currently the joint-third-lowest scorers in the Premier League.

It has been a frustrating start to the season for the North London club, who spent big during the summer window, racking up a bill of more than £300million, which was a club record. That spending has not translated into consistent results on the pitch, with Tottenham only winning three times so far this season, while they have lost four and drawn three.

It was looking up for De Zerbi's men after three straight wins, but they found themselves limping into the international break after a disappointing defeat to Leeds United, who are currently above them in the table.

As things stand, De Zerbi only has two options in the striker role, which are Dominic Solanke, who has struggled since his arrival in 2024, while Omar Marmoush has not yet produced any sort of good form since arriving on loan from Manchester City in the summer. Meanwhile, Richarlison has been exiled due to not seeing eye-to-eye with De Zerbi.

Spurs may feel as though they need a third striker option for proper competition, and TeamTalk are reporting that Bournemouth frontman Kroupi is a 'dream target', so much so that Spurs are willing to offer current players to seal the deal. Wilson Odobert has been mooted as a possible makeweight, but given he is working back from an ACL issue, that may not be attractive to the Cherries.

Youngsers Mikey Moore and Luca Williams-Barnett have also been mentioned, with the latter making his first-team breakthrough this term.

Tottenham were said to have been interested during the summer window, but Kroupi suffered an injury that complicated the deal. He has since returned from the foot problem, making three league appearances so far.

Kroupi, described as a 'generational' player by teammate Marcus Tavernier, is under terms until 2030, and Bournemouth are not likely to want to sell, especially given they are seventh in the table and in with a chance of an impressive season, while hoping for a good run in the Europa League.

"He's an accomplished finisher already. He has just come in and it seems like he already knows what his role is in the team." - Danny Murphy

Kroupi is a key player for Bournemouth, and he is likely to attract interest from elsewhere, as well as Tottenham, but an asking price of £100million has been quoted previously, and that would be a huge fee for Spurs to shell out in January, on the back of spending so much in the summer. The Cherries could also block a deal at any price in the winter, with Kroupi likely willing to stay until the summer if he is promised a move then.

Kroupi has not found his scoring form yet this season, but he netted 13 times in the Premier League last season, leading then manager Andoni Iraola to say: "When you are 19 with eight goals, it is incredible because he doesn't start every game.

"He gives us quality on the ball, which is always important. We can put him in that position around the box – he can score goals. He also gives us work-rate, so we keep him on the pitch."