Tottenham hijack Arsenal's pursuit of Kroupi after £100m Tonali deal

Tottenham Hotspur are threatening to complete a third successive hijack of Arsenal transfer targets this summer, with Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi now reportedly at the top of Spurs’ wishlist after the north London rivals agreed a £100m deal for Sandro Tonali.

Arsenal had been tracking Kroupi, the 20-year-old French winger valued at over £80m by Bournemouth, as they seek a left-sided forward to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s Premier League title-winning squad. However, according to The Independent, Tottenham have moved to the front of the queue and are willing to spend heavily to secure the deal before pre-season begins, with manager Roberto De Zerbi keen to complete his business quickly.

The Kroupi development follows Arsenal’s decision to pass on Tonali, who has since agreed a six-year contract at Spurs. Despite strong links to the 26-year-old Italian since January — with sporting director Andrea Berta having made contact and Tonali’s agent reportedly offering the player directly to Arsenal — the Gunners ultimately rejected the move. According to ChronicleLive, Arsenal were put off by Tonali’s salary expectations of £275,000 per week, as well as a reported 10% agent fee requested by his representative Giuseppe Riso. Tonali is set to become Tottenham’s second record signing of the summer, following the arrival of Matheus Fernandes.

Arsenal’s quiet window stands in contrast to the ambition Arteta was expected to show following the club’s Premier League title success and Champions League final defeat last season. The manager was reportedly handed a transfer budget of around £250m — matching what he spent the previous summer — but the only confirmed arrival so far is the permanent signing of loanee Piero Hincapie.

Sporting director Berta is understood to be negotiating several deals simultaneously, with Arsenal prioritising a right-back, a central midfielder, a left winger, and potentially a striker. The concern among supporters is growing, however, as multiple targets have either moved to other clubs or been priced out of reach.

Losing Kroupi to Tottenham would represent a particularly painful outcome for Arsenal, given the Frenchman’s direct role in handing them the Premier League title last season.