Junior Kroupi injury update ahead of Arsenal vs Bournemouth

Bournemouth striker Junior Kroupi is set to be available for Saurday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal after picking up a knock over the international break.

Kroupi has enjoyed an impressive first season at Bournemouth, with his nine league goals earning him a call-up to France’s Under-21 squad.

However, the teenager was later forced to pull out of the camp before his side’s clash with Luxembourg due to ‘physical discomfort’.

But the Cherries boss Andoni Iraola confirmed that Kroupi as well as Alex Jimenez, who also picked up a knock on international duty, have recovered in time for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.

‘Junior Kroupi and Alex Jimenez came from their international teams with some niggles and it was more precautionary.’ Iraola said in Friday’s pre-match press conference.

‘They have had some rest, also with us, and fully recovered for tomorrow.’

Elsewhere, Iraola confirmed that Bournemouth will be without Justin Kluivert and Lewis Cook, but said three players – Tyler Adams, Ben Gannon-Doak and Julio Soler – had all returned to first-team training.

‘The only injured players we have right now are Justin Kluivert and Lewis Cook,’ he added.

‘Justin Kluivert is doing a very good recovery. He had surgery, he’s on the time margins that we expected. Everything is going in a rush, he wants to play before the season ends because he wants to keep his options for the World Cup alive.

‘He’s doing really well but we cannot do stupid things. We have to give the time that everybody needs. We hope that he can play before the season ends. He will need to progress as he has been doing as he is doing very well.

‘Lewis Cook is maybe taking more time than we expected and he’s not there yet.

‘But I think everyone else is available. There are some cases, especially Julio Soler, who is not ready to play a lot of minutes, but is training with the group and I think he is recovered.

‘In the cases of Tyler, of Ben Gannon-Doak, they have used this break to put themselves in contention and I think we are in a good place.

‘I will even have to make difficult decisions because we will be more than 20 ready to travel.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.