Eli Junior Kroupi’s standout season with FC Lorient is far from over, as the 17-year-old Franco-Ivorian forward sets his sights on guiding the club back to Ligue 1 before his move to the Premier League.
Despite his youth, Kroupi has already left an indelible mark on Lorient’s campaign.
With 19 goals and three assists in 26 appearances, the teenager currently leads the Ligue 2 scoring charts and has emerged as one of the most decisive players in French football’s second tier.
His recent form has been nothing short of prolific, with 12 goals in his last 11 matches—propelling Lorient to the summit of the table with just a few games remaining.
Kroupi’s footballing journey began in earnest when he joined the Lorient academy in 2021 at the age of 15.
Quickly demonstrating tactical intelligence and technical maturity beyond his years, he advanced to the U17 side before earning a handful of appearances with the reserves in his debut season.
The following year, he split his time between the U19s and the senior squad, making his Ligue 1 debut at just 16.
The 2023–24 season marked Kroupi’s first full campaign at professional level, with the young striker featuring in 30 Ligue 1 fixtures.
He contributed five goals and three assists, showcasing flashes of his immense potential, even as Lorient endured a difficult season that ultimately ended in relegation.
Though several clubs across Europe expressed interest in signing him, Kroupi opted to remain at Lorient for one more season, determined to help restore the club to France’s top flight.
His loyalty and leadership have been central to Lorient’s resurgence, with the team now in pole position to secure automatic promotion. Two more victories would mathematically guarantee their return to Ligue 1.
In February, Kroupi signed a long-term contract with English Premier League side Bournemouth, tying him to the Cherries until June 2030. As part of the agreement, he will stay at Lorient on loan until the end of the 2024–25 campaign.
That decision has given him one last mission in Brittany—deliver promotion before making the leap to English football.
The move to Bournemouth is a significant step in Kroupi’s burgeoning career, but he remains focused on finishing his chapter at Lorient on a high.
The young striker’s composure, vision, and goalscoring instinct have made him a fan favourite and a key figure in the club’s ambitions.
With Lorient topping Ligue 2 on 64 points, and momentum firmly on their side, Kroupi is now just two matches away from completing his mission. As his star continues to rise, few would bet against the teenager finishing the job before beginning a new adventure on English soil.
