Arsenal latest: Eli Junior Kroupi transfer blow as Christos Tzolis defies manager

Arsenal have been handed a transfer update regarding Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi

Arsenal's return to Premier League action against Leeds United on October 10 offers a chance to respond to their first setback of the season, but Mikel Arteta faces fresh concerns over the fitness of his squad.

Seven successive wins in all competitions gave the Gunners a strong start to the 2026/27 campaign before a 3-0 defeat at Brighton halted that momentum. With 17 first-team players then leaving for international duty, Arteta has had to wait for the opportunity to address that result on the pitch.

The break has also complicated preparations for Leeds. Martin Odegaard has returned to action after Bernardo Silva stepped on his ankle while he was playing for Norway, but Kai Havertz is still working towards a comeback after leaving Germany's camp. Christos Tzolis has now added to the injury concerns after suffering a hamstring problem with Greece.

Alongside those fitness issues, there is an update on Arsenal's interest in Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi. Here are the latest developments involving Tzolis and the Gunners' summer transfer target.

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Christos Tzolis sent home from camp

Arsenal winger Tzolis left Greece’s camp after picking up a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for 15 to 20 days, although the Gunners have yet to set a recovery timeframe. The 24-year-old summer arrival underwent initial tests after being withdrawn on Thursday evening for Greece, just minutes after his opening goal was disallowed for offside.

Tzolis pulled up and felt tightness in his right hamstring. However, he was eager to continue playing and while he initially moved off the pitch with his head in his hands, he tried to battle on.

Manager Ivan Jovanovic ultimately took matters into his own hands, substituting the player to safeguard his wellbeing. Jovanovic addressed the incident at his press conference when asked to explain the substitution (quotes via sport24): "How do I handle it? You tell me? I'm his coach, I tell him to go out and he says, 'I'm not going out.'

"How do I handle it? So, this is something that I characterise as the Greek mentality and all these kids who come to play in the national team regardless of age. I think it was a scene that everyone saw, those who were close.

"I told him to get out, because I suspected that he wouldn't have done that if he hadn't felt something. We don't know how big the damage is today, but I hoped it was just a twitch, something temporary.

"I didn't have any reason to be honest, because these aren't qualifiers, they're the Nations League. First and foremost I wanted to protect the player. He didn't want to stay near me to go out; instead, he went to defend the corner. And then he went out. These are our players."

Sources close to Tzolis suggest Arsenal are unwilling to place any timeframe on the winger's recovery, preferring instead to carry out a thorough assessment of his condition upon his return to London. It had otherwise been a fruitful international break for the former Club Brugge man, having netted in the victory over Serbia in Belgrade before assisting the winner against Germany.

Eli Junior Kroupi transfer verdict

Arsenal have received a transfer update concerning Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi. The 20-year-old featured on Arteta's transfer wishlist in the summer as the Gunners made signing a forward a priority.

However, Bournemouth made it clear that their prized asset - whose goal against Manchester City handed Arsenal the title last term - was not for sale. Kroupi then sustained a fractured metatarsal during pre-season, which brought the Gunners' summer pursuit to a halt.

With Arsenal having fallen short in their attempts to land Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez, some of the fanbase had hoped the club would revive their interest in Kroupi come January. However, BBC Sport reports that Bournemouth are not willing to entertain any mid-season offers for the Frenchman, who is currently valued at around £100million.

Kroupi has not featured for the Cherries this season, having undergone surgery in July, and is not expected to return to action until November.