Bournemouth have beaten off fierce competition to sign Lorient forward Eli Junior Kroupi for £10million plus add-ons.
The 18-year-old will stay on loan with the French side for the rest of the season, having signed with the Cherries on transfer deadline day.
The French Under-19 forward has enjoyed a fruitful campaign in the second division, netting nine goals and providing two assists in Ligue 2, playing 17 times in the competition this term.
Spearheaded by him, Lorient lead the league standings just beyond the halfway stage of the campaign.
Kroupi is considered to be one of the brightest talents coming out of France, having broken into the Lorient first team at the age of 16.
As such, his services were linked with a number of clubs over the January transfer window, including West Ham.
Eli Junior Kroupi, 18, is enjoying a breakout year with French second division side Lorient
Bournemouth completed the deal on deadline day before loaning the forward back to Lorient
‘We are delighted to confirm the permanent signing of FC Lorient attacker Eli Junior Kroupi,’ the Cherries confirmed in a social media statement.
‘The 18-year-old French youth international will remain with the Ligue 2 club for the rest of the 2024/25 season on loan.’
Technical director Simon Francis added: ‘We’re very excited to sign somebody with such potential.
‘Junior fits the club’s model of developing young players and giving them a platform to perform at the top level.
‘Junior has already operated in numerous attacking positions in his short career so far with an impressive goal involvement record.
‘He’s shown a high level of natural technical ability and awareness for a player so young, and the speed in which he has adapted to senior football has been very encouraging.’
West Ham scouts watched Kroupi score his tenth goal of the season in Lorient’s 2-1 win at Red Star on Saturday but their bid fell through.
West Ham offered a deal worth up to £30m for Kroupi at the weekend but the structure of payments rejected.
Graham Potter’s West Ham had offered a deal worth up to £30m for Kroupi at the weekend
Bournemouth and Lorient already have a strategic partnership.
The Hammers instead completed a loan deal for Brighton’s Republic of Ireland international striker Evan Ferguson.
The 18-year-old was also subject of interest from Real Madrid, Tottenham and RB Leipzig earlier in the window.
Kroupi had entered the final 18 months of his contract with Lorient.
His total for the club stands at 14 goals and five assists in 50 matches.