Kroupi still a month from Bournemouth return
- Published
Bournemouth hope to have forward Eli Junior Kroupi back by November at the latest.
The 20-year-old has been recovering from surgery on a foot injury sustained during a pre-season training session in Austria in late July.
The French attacker returned to the UK for surgery and is targeting a return before the international break next month.
Kroupi became the first teenager to score 10 or more goals in a debut Premier League season since Robbie Keane did so for Coventry City in 1999-00.
He finished with 13 goals in 33 league appearances under former Cherries boss Andoni Iraola but has yet to play under successor Marco Rose.
Bournemouth believe Kroupi, who has been linked with several major clubs, including Arsenal and Paris St-Germain, can have an important impact during the second half of their campaign.
Kroupi, like many of Bournemouth's key players, will not be allowed to leave Vitality Stadium during the January transfer window.
Midfielder Alex Scott, who has suffered a thigh injury that will rule him out for up to eight weeks, is also not available for sale during that period.
Bournemouth are without a win in their opening five Premier League games, though they have progressed in the Carabao Cup and will host Aston Villa in the last 16 on 28 October.
They also won their first European match, away to Real Sociedad in the Europa League, before the international break.