Arsenal are already closing in on signing a bigger talent than Kroupi

If you saw Josh Kroenke dancing and shouting on the bus during Arsenal’s open top title parade just over a week ago it was the clearest sign yet that this ownership group are in it for the long haul.

It wasn’t long ago that his father, Stan Kroenke, was seen as something of a villain during the final days of Arsene Wenger’s tenure. Alas, everything they have touched turns to gold.

They’ve won the Stanley Cup with their franchise the Colorado Avalanche, they’ve won the NBA with the Denver Nuggets, the Super Bowl with the LA Rams and now the Premier League with the Gunners.

Doubt the Kroenkes at your peril. They have made some game-changing decisions in recent years, notably the one to hand Mikel Arteta the reins.

Now comes one of their greatest tasks yet. They must back Arteta and help create a title-winning dynasty at the Emirates. To do that, they need better forward players. It was no secret that was an area that let them down in 2025/26.

Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is a key target, as is Eli Junior Kroupi, Bournemouth’s striking sensation. He would be a fabulous pickup this summer.

Why Arsenal want to sign Kroupi

A year ago Andrea Berta’s directive was clear; provide Arteta with a goalscoring centre-forward.

Benjamin Sesko was chased and while they lined up a deal for the Slovenian, they ultimately decided to go with Viktor Gyokeres, the scorer of 54 goals in 2024/25.

The jury is still out on the Swede but he did end the title-winning campaign as the club’s top goalscorer in 2025/26 with 21 to his name.

Yet, a lot of his play left something to be desired, hence links to the likes of Julian Alvarez at Atletico Madrid and indeed Kroupi down on the south coast.

The 19-year-old is attracting admirers from some of Europe’s top clubs. Arsenal and Liverpool are both at the table but the Gunners have reportedly already made calls to understand the situation regarding the young Frenchman.

While the attacker may be young, his impact at Bournemouth since signing from Lorient has been nothing short of remarkable.

It was Kroupi’s goal against Manchester City that sealed Arsenal the title and for that, regardless of what happens this summer, he will always be held in high regard.

That said, the striker’s season was about more than just that moment. He was one of the best young players in European football. His tally of 13 league goals in 33 games was the most any teenager has scored during their debut year in the Premier League.

Capable of playing as a no.9 or as more of a second striker, the Cherries star is not just a goalscorer but he’s also versatile.

Premier League-proven and with a huge future ahead of him, this would be quite a coup should Arsenal seal his signature. It would mark a continuation of the future proofing of this team.

Arsenal close in on sealing a bigger talent than Kroupi

Kroupi is an electric talent, there is no doubting that but is his future as bright as Jeremy Monga’s?

While it’s challenging to answer that question right now, the thought of these two teenager prodigies starring in the same forward line together is a mouthwatering one.

Like Kroupi, Arsenal have been pushing to get a deal over the line for Monga and this one would appear to be edging towards completion.

Leicester City were relegated to League One at the end of the 2025/26 season and it has opened the door for their most talented youth prospect to leave the King Power Stadium.

As a result of that relegation, Monga was always going to attract plenty of interest, particularly with the winger yet to sign his first professional contract in the Midlands.

Because of that, Arsenal have moved swiftly to conclude a deal and according to club insider, Hand of Arsenal, personal terms were agreed with the player last week. He wants the move and it should go through in the coming weeks.

So, why is he a bigger talent than Kroupi when the Frenchman has already been tearing up the Premier League?

Well, it’s safe to say that Monga has made an impact at a much younger age. Now just 16, it’s remarkable to think that he has already played 37 games of senior football for the Foxes.

Sure, he may have been playing for a side that has now suffered back to back relegations but he will forever be in the history books as one of the youngest players in Premier League history. Coincidentally, only Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman have made their bows in England’s top-flight at a younger age.

He suffered from a lack of regular minutes in 2025/26, only starting eight Championship matches but that should not downplay the size of the talent here.

Unlike Kroupi, who made his debut aged 16 years and 345 days, which is still mightily impressive might we add, Monga was making an impact at an even younger age. He was doing so in the Premier League too, not in Ligue 1.

Of course, that’s a product of the environment both players find themselves in but there is a reason Monga was being described as “England’s Ousmane Dembele” by Como scout Ben Mattinson in February 2025.

A deadly finisher, the Leicester wonderkid is incredibly nimble and his fleet-footedness and ability to dribble past opponents in tight spaces is reminiscent of another Jeremy, Manchester City’s Doku.

Kroupi is undoubtedly the more exciting signing right now but do not be surprised that in three years time, when Monga is also 19, that he’s lighting up the Premier League in a similar fashion. As Nwaneri and Dowman have shown, you don’t make your senior debut at 15 if you’re not a generational talent.