Bournemouth news: Cherries lead the race for French wonderkid Eli Junior Kroupi and Mark Travers to leave

Premier League side AFC Bournemouth are the favourites to land FC Lorient forward Eli Junior Kroupi ahead of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

A product of the Lorient Academy, the 18-year-old has scored eight goals in 16 Ligue 2 games so far this season - with the French club top of the table and set for promotion back to Ligue 1.

The youngster broke into the first team last season scoring five times in 30 games in the elite division of French football.

Fans of the popular game ‘Football Manager’ will know all about Kroupi and his potential - and it seems the Dorset-based club agree.

Cherries in talks to sign top French talent

Entering the final 18 months of his contract, Mail Sport claim Bournemouth are in pole position to sign the France U19 international.

Chelsea, Tottenham and RB Leipzig have also made enquiries this month, but it appears Andoni Iraola’s side are the favourites for his signature.

Bournemouth are flying in the Premier League, as their recent 5-0 demolition of top-four side Nottingham Forest stunned the entire division.

Forwards Justin Kluivert, Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo have been scoring for fun as of late, in the absence of strikers Evanilson and Enes Unal, who are sidelined with injuries.

So the arrival of the free-scoring Kroupi, to the side that hasn't tasted defeat in the league since November, would be a welcome addition to Iraola’s squad.

Travers to join Championship side

Speaking of the club’s outgoings, Cherries goalkeeper Mark Travers is set to sign for Championship side Middlesbrough.

The Irishman has only featured five times this season in the league as Kepa Arrizabalaga has held the number-one spot.

Pending a medical, Travers would be the Boro’s fourth signing of the window after Ryan Giles, George Edmundson and Morgan Whittaker to Michael Carrick’s side.

Follow all the latest January window rumours and deals with Transfer News Blitz, and follow us on BlueSky as we continue to tell it like it is when it comes to transfer talk.

READ MORE: Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta targeting the next Martin Ødegaard as Gunners work to sign Sverre Nypan