Last season’s go-to budget forward, Eli Junior Kroupi (£7.3m), is back on Fantasy radars after his return from injury.

Now a (much pricier!) midfielder after a summer reclassification by Fantasy Premier League (FPL), he’s appeared as a substitute in Bournemouth’s last three league and cup matches.

On Saturday, he delivered an assist in the win over Leeds United after coming off the bench.

After plundering 13 Premier League goals in his breakthrough campaign, the appeal is obvious.

But how soon can we expect him to start, where will he play, and whose place will he threaten?

KROUPI’S 2026/27 SO FAR

Kroupi injured his foot at the back end of July at a training camp in Austria. He hadn’t played a part in any of the Cherries’ pre-season friendlies.

Back on the grass in October and returning to team training ahead of Gameweek 8, he made his first appearance of 2026/27 as a substitute at Old Trafford.

Since then, his game-time has steadily increased off the bench:

Above image from our Minutes Tracker

HOW SOON CAN WE EXPECT A START?

So far, it’s been three substitute appearances for the 20-year-old Frenchman. So, when can we expect a start?

It won’t come in Thursday’s UEFA Europa League tie with Getafe, as Kroupi is ineligible to play. Based on Marco Rose’s comments in his press conference last Thursday, it probably won’t be in Gameweek 10, either.

“We still need to build up his game time. I’m really happy to have him back, to have his quality, but he knows he has to be patient in this situation and not get in a difficult situation with another injury. We need to get him fit, in a good spot, with more and more match time, and in between, good sessions of training.

“We’re going to get him in a good spot the next couple of weeks and then he’s ready to start again. If he stays healthy, then I hope he’s going to go on a run.” – Marco Rose on Eli Junior Kroupi, speaking last Thursday

After the Leeds victory, Rose added that Kroupi is still not “100 per cent fit” but that the Cherries are going to “increase his match time more and more”. A 30-minute run-out against Ipswich Town, perhaps, or could Kroupi stretch to a half?

“He could be a key factor for us this season because if you see, even he is not 100 per cent fit, how he understands the game, how he touches the ball, how he solves tight situations, how he assists the goal.

“Especially in the Premier League, where you get in certain phases of the game a little bit more space if it goes up and down, he’s just a guy who can make the difference and he worked hard today.

“He knows that he needs every metre to fill up his tank with energy and with power.

“Today he played 25 [minutes] and now we’re going to increase his match time more and more.” – Marco Rose on Eli Kroupi Junior via the Bournemouth Echo

Either way, it sounds like he’s still a little way off from being ready for the 60-to-70-plus-minute run-outs that would seriously put him back on FPL shopping lists.

Might his first Cherries start come in the Europa League tie against Celta Vigo in late November, or in Gameweek 12 against Fulham? Less than 72 hours separate those two matches, and it seems like a good time for Rose to start upping the rotation and minute management, wth the Celta match kickstarting a run of 12 fixtures in 41 days.

WHO HAS HE REPLACED WHEN SUBBING ON?

Here’s who Kroupi has come on for in his three post-injury substitutions:

WHICH POSITION DOES ROSE SEE HIM PLAYING – AND WHO WILL IT IMPACT?

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