{"id":449727,"date":"2026-01-31T14:55:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T14:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/449727\/"},"modified":"2026-01-31T14:55:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T14:55:16","slug":"will-rayan-toth-lower-kroupis-minutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/449727\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Rayan + Toth lower Kroupi’s minutes?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Antoine Semenyo (\u00a37.8m) was the latest name to leave Bournemouth\u2019s conveyor belt for global giants. Stepping on it are the young duo of Rayan Vitor (\u00a35.5m) and Alex Toth (\u00a35.0m).<\/p>\n

The former is a 19-year-old Brazilian, costing an initial \u00a324.7m from Vasco da Gama. The latter is aged 20 and required another \u00a310.4m to go towards Hungarian side Ferencvaros.<\/p>\n

Further affected by injuries to Justin Kluivert (\u00a37.0m), Marcus Tavernier (\u00a35.4m) and Tyler Adams (\u00a34.9m), the Cherries could even add more names before the transfer window closes on Monday.<\/p>\n

So, can these attackers settle quickly, and what impact will they have in Fantasy Premier League (FPL)?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll attempt to answer those questions below.<\/p>\n

WHO ARE RAYAN + TOTH?\"\"<\/p>\n

Some huge clubs were pipped to the signing of Rayan. A 2023 senior debut at 16 years and 169 days made him the youngest player in Vasco\u2019s history, and he went on to score 20 goals in 57 appearances during a breakout 2025.<\/p>\n

Both skinny and strong, Rayan is fast, leading some back in Brazil to think he\u2019ll be the next Estevao (\u00a36.4m). But perhaps former Inter striker Adriano is a more accurate comparison. If he turns into the Pro Evo 6 version, Bournemouth will be in dreamland.<\/p>\n

Remember Robbie Keane? Well, he arrived at Ferencvaros last January and quickly saw potential<\/a> in Toth.<\/p>\n

In the second half of 2024\/25, Toth started playing alongside Naby Keita in midfield. Two goals and eight assists in 15 starts helped the Budapest club secure a seventh successive league title.<\/p>\n

He has since gone on to score past Qarabag in the Champions League qualifiers, grab another three attacking returns and gain nine caps for Hungary.<\/p>\n

HOW DO THEY FIT IN AT BOURNEMOUTH?\"FPL<\/p>\n

The Cherries love to develop youngsters before making a huge profit. Add Illya Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, Dango Ouattara (\u00a35.8m), Nathan Ake (\u00a35.3m), Dominic Solanke (\u00a37.2m) and Milos Kerkez (\u00a35.6m) to the Semenyo sale.<\/p>\n

So they\u2019re smart when making investments; there\u2019s a plan in place.<\/p>\n

Two-footed Toth is good at pressing. He came on against Liverpool, but it\u2019s hard to read into that small cameo. Instead, head coach Andoni Iraola\u2019s words hint that he sees Toth as a central midfielder.<\/p>\n

\u201cIdeally, he\u2019s a number eight. But when you are a number eight, you have to sometimes defend as a six and attack as a number ten. So, I think he is ready to adapt to any of the three positions. But obviously once we have the player, we see him playing and we see him training, probably we will try to find his best position.\u201d \u2013 Andoni Iraola on Alex Toth\u2019s ideal position <\/p>\n

When speaking to the BBC<\/a>, Hungarian football journalist Bence Bocsak also calls Toth a \u2018number eight\u2019, though there\u2019s enough versatility for him to evolve in these new surroundings.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can play as a number eight, he can be a box-to-box player, but he has played as a holding player in the past. I don\u2019t think he\u2019s going to be a destroyer type, and as a holding midfielder he\u2019s more of a deep-lying creator. And he can also play more advanced as a number ten.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s played all of those roles for Ferencvaros, but more importantly he\u2019s played all those roles for the Hungary national team, against Portugal and other big nations.\u201d \u2013 Bence Bocsak<\/p>\n

As for Rayan, he\u2019s mainly a right-sided attacker who cuts in on his left foot. But he\u2019s increasingly being used through the middle as a centre-forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s tall, quick, left-footed, strikes the ball well, and he\u2019s started getting into the box and scoring with his head. He can play wide, as a false nine, as a number nine, or on the other flank. And I really like him as a person too.\u201d \u2013 Vasco head coach Fernando Diniz<\/p>\n

Hopefully, an easing into Premier League life will indicate what Iraola thinks he is. You\u2019d imagine it\u2019d be better to slowly introduce him from a wide position, rather than ruthlessly throwing him in as a striker.<\/p>\n

\"FPL<\/p>\n

Above: Opta Analyst<\/a> showing the positions of Rayan\u2019s 2025 shots<\/p>\n

Is Rayan a direct replacement for Semenyo? The new Manchester City signing is a shot-machine, racking up the third-most attempts of last season (125), and he\u2019s currently third for putting them on target this time (29).<\/p>\n

Similarly, FBref says Rayan ended the 2025 Brazilian S\u00e9rie A campaign<\/a> in second place.<\/p>\n

\"FPL<\/p>\n

However, while Semenyo is a dribbler, this teenager is more about raw physical power than stepovers.<\/p>\n

And, of course, there are still a couple of weaknesses that need developing. It\u2019s said that he sometimes switches off a bit, and South American expert Tim Vickery<\/a> thinks he needs to improve with his back to goal. In fact, there\u2019s also a worry that he\u2019s departing one year too soon.<\/p>\n

WHERE HAS KROUPI BEEN PLAYING?\"\u00a34.6m<\/p>\n

At a time when 3-5-2 and 4-4-2 are popular FPL formations, a cheap forward who regularly plays, like Eli Junior Kroupi (\u00a34.6m), is a piece of gold. He\u2019s netted seven times in this half-season, which only eight forwards can beat.<\/p>\n

A lot of managers want him now, for Bournemouth\u2019s highly attractive run of opponents. They top our Fixture Ticker<\/a> over the next eight Gameweeks.<\/p>\n

\"Best<\/p>\n

Of all players with more than one strike to his name, just Erling Haaland (\u00a315.0m) has a better rate than Kroupi\u2019s 109.3 minutes per goal.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s on three starts in a row, but will this continue once Bournemouth stop buying players? And where will he play?<\/p>\n

Usually a centre-forward, he\u2019s occasionally named in lineups instead of Evanilson (\u00a37.0m), although the Brazilian has three goals in four games. It\u2019s a productive period where Kroupi has been starting further back, as an attacking midfielder.<\/p>\n

\"FPL<\/p>\n

Above: Statsbomb<\/a> says almost all of Kroupi\u2019s league starts have been either up front, or as a \u2018number ten\u2019<\/p>\n

Iraola instantly put him in Kluivert\u2019s position, and the Dutchman is out for another few months<\/a>. But there\u2019s now the option of either Toth playing there, or using the Hungarian in the engine room to allow Alex Scott (\u00a35.0m) to move upfield.<\/p>\n

Looking around, Amine Adli\u2018s (\u00a35.4m) latest starts have been exclusively on the left wing, David Brooks (\u00a35.0m) could make Gameweek 24 and is mostly on the right, whereas Iraola ideally wants Alex Jimenez (\u00a34.5m) back in his defence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he has done a very good job as a winger. You know, I prefer him as a full-back, but I think he\u2019s in this moment helping us a lot a little bit forward and he\u2019s good.\u201d \u2013 Andoni Iraola on Alex Jimenez<\/p>\n

The hardest one to call is Tavernier, whose versatility mixes appearances on the right, with some as a \u2018number eight\u2019 or a \u2018number ten\u2019. Once the 26-year-old recovers in late February, he could go anywhere.<\/p>\n

So while Kroupi is currently doing well as a second striker, this might not last beyond a few more matches. And he\u2019s unlikely to displace in-form Evanilson in the position where Iraola prefers him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think if you ask me what is his position, I think he\u2019s a striker. But it\u2019s true that he has played with us some games as kind of a second striker. He has played with the France U21s, a little bit outside. But he\u2019s a striker for me, his best attributes. He is going to be a number nine for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy with his development and I think he can play in this kind of second striker, offensive number ten, if you want, with us. But he\u2019s always played as number nine.\u201d \u2013 Andoni Iraola on Eli Junior Kroupi<\/p>\n

Alternatively, if Rayan isn\u2019t a direct Semenyo replacement on the left, maybe Kroupi will turn out to be. After all, he plays there for France Under-21s and tends to lean in that direction for his club.<\/p>\n

\"FPL<\/p>\n

There\u2019s not a lot of competition in that spot, but assuming he\u2019ll soon move there is pure guesswork.<\/p>\n

FINAL THOUGHTS<\/p>\n

Bournemouth suffered a terrible 11-match winless slump until the last three outings, where relocating Kroupi behind Evanilson almost brought a trio of victories. A stoppage-time overhead kick is all that denied them.<\/a><\/p>\n

Therefore, Iraola has no immediate reason to change this combination. This is good for Kroupi, although the youngster repeatedly coming off around the 60-70 minute mark is less so. Also slightly off-putting are the complications of new arrivals, plus Tavernier\u2019s eventual return. In summary, he\u2019s probably fine in the short term, but it becomes murkier in the medium-to-long term.<\/p>\n

\"FPL<\/p>\n

For Rayan and Toth, it\u2019s just a question of how long their adaptation periods will be. We\u2019ll be keeping an eye on Toth\u2019s position in the coming weeks, and whether Rayan does indeed go to the right flank. The latter is certainly one we\u2019ll be monitoring, given his Semenyo-esque, shot-happy approach at Vasco.<\/p>\n

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