Bournemouth is set to begin life under new manager Marco Rose without Junior Kroupi.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein reports the star forward will miss three to four months after undergoing foot surgery earlier on Wednesday. The 20-year-old France youth international incurred the injury during the team’s preseason trip to Austria.
A native of Lorient, Kroupi had a breakout season in 2025-2026, his first in the Premier League. Kroupi notched 13 league goals as the Cherries finished sixth and will play Europa League football this season. Kroupi’s form has won him admirers from across England and the rest of Europe, but Bournemouth had made it clear they had no intentions of selling the player.
This past May, Kroupi was approached by then-Portugal manager Roberto Martinez to gauge his interest in representing Portugal ahead of the World Cup with the player eligible to suit up for the team through his mother. Kroupi declined and reiterated his desire to play for France at the senior level.
The Cherries open up their Premier League campaign on Aug. 23 with a visit to runners-up Manchester City.
