Kroupi’s talent has not been a secret – least of all to his former team-mates and coaches at boyhood club Lorient.<\/p>\n
The youngest player to appear for the club in Ligue 1, Kroupi became the youngest scorer in Lorient’s top-flight history when he found the net against Nantes during the 2023-24 campaign, aged 17 years and 92 days.<\/p>\n
After one particularly eye-catching display, former Chelsea<\/a> midfielder and Lorient team-mate Tiemoue Bakayoko said of Kroupi: He’s a phenomenon. He reminds me a little of [Kylian] Mbappe in terms of the maturity in his game.”<\/p>\n There was certainly a hint of France and Real Madrid striker Mbappe in Kroupi’s goal against Wolves<\/a> – the cushioned first touch, swiftly followed by the lethal second.<\/p>\n Only four players – Erling Haaland, Igor Thiago, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Semenyo – have found the net more often in the Premier League than Kroupi this term.<\/p>\n Given the number of scoring opportunities Bournemouth<\/a> tend to create, there could well be more to come.<\/p>\n “I’ve been so impressed with him – not just today, but all season,” former Manchester City<\/a>, Newcastle<\/a> and Aston Villa<\/a> goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Final Score. “He looks like he’s been here all his life.”<\/p>\n Speaking to Match of the Day after the win at Molineux, Bournemouth<\/a> midfielder Alex Scott said: “We’ve seen what Kroupi has done today.<\/p>\n “We’ve got some incredible footballers here. We’ve got some young lads who are almost superstars.”<\/p>\n