The prices in the Premier League are ridiculous – but there is one ‘sure thing’ who the club should spend on.
Entering the summer 2026 transfer window, Manchester United’s clear top priority was central midfield.
And while United have spent £85 million to sign Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, most fans are left wondering if there is more to come.
The reality now is that United are working out what comes next.
Midfield recruitment has become a bit of a minefield thanks to the ludicrous money being thrown around. £116 million on Elliot Anderson, £95 million on Sandro Tonali, and £85 million on Mateus Fernandes.
United chose to walk away from those deals, believing there was no value. But having signed Santos and Tielemans, there is still money available to buy the right player.
The club are yet to be convinced that the right player exists in midfield at those prices. Bournemouth’s £80 million price tag on Alex Scott suggests not.
So what if United decided to take that money, and spent a mega-fee on another position of need, for a player who truly could be worth it.
The player who looks to be ‘sure thing’ is Alex Scott’s teammate at Bournemouth, Eli Junior Kroupi.
Spend the £100 million on Kroupi and don’t look back
Elite strikers are hard to find, and all the data and eye tests suggest that Bournemouth have unearthed the next great one in Eli Junior Kroupi.
Kroupi struck 13 Premier League goals last season, the highest goal return for a teenager in England’s top flight in 20 years.
The French wonderkid scored in both matches against Manchester United, also netting against Arsenal (twice), Tottenham, and Manchester City.
He is a natural finisher who Manchester United will regret missing out on if he signs for a rival club.
Bournemouth do not want to lose Kroupi and figures of £100 million have been reported. But in the context of the midfielder fees, this actually looks like comparably good value.
Finding a young reliable goalscorer is the hardest job of any recruitment team. United have struggled badly with it over the years.
We appear to have one in Benjamin Sesko, but he cannot do it alone, and is dealing with an injury heading into the 2026/27 season.
Striker is a position United actually do still need to strengthen. Kroupi scored more goals in the league for Bournemouth last season than Joshua Zirkzee has at Manchester United in all competitions in two years – (only nine goals).
With the midfield market going crazy, United should not overpay for an extra name just to follow the trend. Buying Kroupi instead would be a deal that genuinely makes a difference for the club, because he is a potentially elite player in his position.
Kroupi fits the Ineos model too of a young, talented player who can be part of the team for years to come. He might cost more than most – but he could be the exception who is worthwhile spending on.
Kroupi’s key stats
- Kroupi scored 13 goals in 33 games, of which only 21 were starts.
- His 28.2% shot conversion rate was the best of any player in the league who scored 10+ goals.
- He averaged a goal every 129 minutes played.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
