If the Alvarez deal falls through: a new target for Barcelona

Barcelona continues its search for its next striker: after realizing that the Alvarez deal would be difficult to finalize, the club has decided not to wait for the Argentine. According to a report by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Hansi Flick is interested in the talented French striker Eli Kroupi Jr., who would arrive as a replacement for Robert Lewandowski, following his move to MLS, and serve as backup for Ferran Torres, the scorer of Spain's winning goal in the World Cup final.

Kroupi is a highly talented player with diverse offensive capabilities, who played last season for Bournemouth in the English top flight. The young striker scored 13 goals in 33 Premier League appearances. The 20-year-old has also recorded several appearances for the French youth national team and was close to being included in Didier Deschamps' squad for the last World Cup.

Official: Karim Adeyemi has signed with Barcelona until 2031.

Son of a former player

Eli Jr. is the son of Eli Kroupi, a well-known former striker in French football who played, among others, for Rennes and Lorient. Kroupi Jr. grew up in the youth academy of Lorient, a club known for its ability to nurture young talents. Upon his promotion to the senior team, it did not take him long to prove he belonged on the main stage. He broke club records as the youngest scorer, and his immediate impact on Lorient's game led pundits in France to repeatedly compare him to Kylian Mbappe during his early days at Monaco.