6 hours Ago By Chisanga Malata
CHELSEA are set to pay up to £30million for 18-year-old French strike sensation Eli Junior Kroupi. The teenager has hit nine goals in 18 appearances for second-division leaders Lorient and is keen to come to the Premier League — if the move is right for him. 3 West Ham are hot on the heels to sign Eli Junior Kroupi Credit: GETTY 3 But they could end up being pipped to his signature by Chelsea Credit: GETTY Blues have jumped ahead of Prem rivals West Ham and Bournemouth for Kroupi, who made his top-flight debut at 16 for the club where his dad, Eli, also played.
The French youth cap also picked the country of his birth over Ivory Coast, where his father was a full international. Chelsea hope to win the auction but a major obstacle will be whether they plan to keep Kroupi at Stamford Bridge or send him out on loan. Kroupi and his camp want to take on the Prem now rather than wait — and he is also eligible for Uefa’s Conference League.
READ MORE CHELSEA NEWS GO WEST Chelsea boost in Earls Court stadium plan after Government backed Old Trafford Hammers prefer to do a deal based on a lower down-payment plus add-ons, while Bournemouth have also been in talks with Lorient over a move worth less cash but with a quicker route into the first team. Blues are also ready to loan out teens Aaron Anselmino and Marc Guiu . Anselmino, 19, is seen as a future star but Chelsea think he needs half a season playing to toughen up.
Sheffield Wednesday want the Argentinian defender, while Scottish giants Rangers have also inquired. Most read in Football BLUES CLUES Rangers eye Chelsea defender - days after Blues' Jefte interest revealed NETS A DOUBLE Celtic ace lookalike goes viral in hilarious vids spoofing Hoops star STRIKER SEARCH Celtic forward hunt takes massive twist as Rodgers chases Kyogo replacement LONDON CALLING Celtic fringe star's Premier League move worth £300k 'at advanced stage' JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 3 Spanish striker Guiu, also 19, could be sent out to a Championship club to gain experience, with Leeds , West Brom and Middlesbrough keen on the former Barcelona starlet. Blues boss Enzo Maresca told fans to expect some movement in his pre-match press conference on Friday.
Chelsea vs Bournemouth: Player Ratings article The Italian said: "‘You can expect players arriving and you can expect players leaving. "It is like this in this moment. "I don’t have any idea about the ones that can leave and the ones that can arrive.
"Anything can happen, we will see. "For me the main focus is just 48 hours, the game, it is the main focus and the most important thing.".
