With FC Barcelona scouring the market for a new centre-forward this past summer, the name of Eli Junior Kroupi of AFC Bournemouth emerged as a potential target.

The 20-year-old French forward was coming on the back of an impressive debut campaign in the Premier League and was seen as a good, long-term fit by the Blaugrana .

As it became clear that Julian Alvarez would not arrive, the Catalans even contacted his representatives to explore the possibility of a move .

However, at the end of July, he suffered a fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, ending any hopes of a transfer.

Now, according to SPORT , Kroupi remains highly regarded by part of Barcelona’s sporting department, which is convinced that the Frenchman has the potential to become a top-level player.

Barcelona rate Kroupi very highly. (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images)

As such, the Catalan club will continue monitoring him once he returns from his injury. The forward is now entering the final stage of his recovery and is expected to make his comeback within a month at the latest.

As per the report, Kroupi was considered an option for Barcelona when it became increasingly clear that Alvarez would not be joining.