West Ham agreed £35m deadline day deal for star but Bournemouth signed him for £10m. West Ham will be furious after the club agreed a £35m deal for a top young star only for him to join Bournemouth for £25m less.
The transfer window slammed shut at 11pm last night, an hour after West Ham’s threadbare squad surrendered a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 to Chelsea. There have been plenty of positives about the style and approach since Graham Potter’s appointment. But his lack of options highlighted just how poorly West Ham’s squad has been composed.
As the Hammers languish down in 15th place, the likes of Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth are pushing for Champions League football.
Despite gaping holes in their hodge podge squad, West Ham only signed Evan Ferguson on a straight loan and took James Ward-Prowse back in the transfer window. Hammers fans are furious with the owners for a lack of ambition.
Although Potter insisted last week that it was him resisting making signings for the sake of it. Meanwhile Premier League rivals Spurs pulled off a stunning capture of one of the best young strikers in world football as they signed Matys Tel from Bayern Munich with an option to buy for £50m.
West Ham agreed £35m deadline day deal for Kroupi. And Bournemouth ended up bringing in Tel’s exciting fellow French striker Eli Junior Kroupi.
Most West Ham fans had never heard of Kroupi until last week.
But such was the desperation to improve their long-term options, Hammers supporters were desperate to see the club get a deal done for the 18-year-old Lorient talent likened to a young Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappe. There was a bizarre twist late in last night’s window, though.
Because West Ham agreed a £35m deadline day deal for the star but Bournemouth signed him for just £10m. West Ham were said to be confident of signing Kroupi despite interest from the likes of Chelsea and the Cherries.
The teenager has lived up to the hype so far this season after initially breaking through last term when Lorient were relegated from Ligue 1.
Kroupi has scored eight goals and laid on two assists in 16 appearances this season as Lorient sit top of Ligue 2. Reports in France ahead of deadline day did warn a move to Bournemouth was always more likely given Bill Foley owns both clubs.
Those reports also claimed West Ham would be hard pushed to sign Kroupi as a deal with Bournemouth would see him stay at Lorient on loan for the rest of the season.
But many fans feel something doesn’t add up after a shocking revelation overnight.
Football correspondent and podcaster Pete O’Rourke claims West Ham’s proposed move for Lorient forward Kroupi broke down despite a £35m fee being agreed between the clubs on deadline day.
The reporter says the structure of the payments was the issue with the Hammers wanting £25m of the fee to be payable based on certain appearance and goal milestones.
West Ham’s proposed move for Lorient forward Eli Junior Kroupi has broken down. A £35m fee was agreed between the clubs, but the structure of the payments was the issue. #WHUFC #Lorient #DeadlineDay pic.twitter.com/umQBC4xleS
— Pete O’Rourke (@SportsPeteO) February 3, 2025
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Yet just 30 minutes before the window officially closed, Bournemouth announced they had signed Kroupi instead for a reported fee of just £10m.
That’s a full £25m less than was reportedly on offer from West Ham.
Many supporters will be angry with David Sullivan and the board for failing to adjust the payment terms to get a deal done.
Others will understandably be left bemused that Lorient would then sell the striker for £25m less.
Although it always seems inevitable Kroupi would end up at the Vitality given Foley’s stakes in both clubs, it is a deal which leaves a sour taste in the mouth after a hugely frustrating window.
As part of Bournemouth’s deal, Kroupi remains on loan at Lorient for the rest of the season.
The Cherries have beaten West Ham to a player of huge potential according to their technical director Simon Francis.
We are delighted to confirm the permanent signing of FC Lorient attacker Eli Junior Kroupi 
The 18-year-old French youth international will remain with the Ligue 2 club for the rest of the 2024/25 season on loan 
pic.twitter.com/ypQs7mRSh4
