In the view of Jamie Carragher, speaking over the summer, plucking Andoni Iraola from Bournemouth felt like trying to sign Jurgen Klopp in his Mainz days, with Liverpool gambling on the manager that the Spaniard could become, rather than based on what he’s already achieved.
In Klopp’s case, by the time he’d made the move to Anfield in 2015, he was firmly on the radar of every elite club in Europe, having led Borussia Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles and the Champions League final.
Iraola, formerly of Rayo Vallecano, hasn’t hit such heights as yet, although guiding the Cherries into the Europa League last term did certainly mark a fine achievement.
Central to that remarkable final year at the Vitality was Eli Junior Kroupi, the Frenchman showcasing Iraola’s genius when it comes to nurturing young talent.
How Kroupi exploded under Iraola last season
Having seen off his former club prior to the international break, Iraola maintained his stunning unbeaten run in the Premier League, stretching back to mid-January.
He’d guided the Cherries into Europe even despite losing Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City mid-season, having made little fuss regarding the departure of yet another key man on the south coast.
Part of the season why Semenyo’s exit was not felt too keenly was due to the form of Kroupi, the youngster enjoying a breathtaking first season in English football.
Signed from Lorient for a fee of around £12m last summer, Kroupi had only been operating in France’s second tier in 2024/25, albeit while netting 22 goals in Ligue 2.
What followed was a record-breaking campaign for a teenager in their debut Premier League campaign, the then-19-year-old scoring 13 goals from just 21 starts.
|
25/26 Premier League |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Goals Per 90 |
Goals |
|
Erling Haaland |
0.82 |
27 |
|
William Osula |
0.78 |
7 |
|
Junior Kroupi |
0.70 |
13 |
|
Benjamin Sesko |
0.61 |
11 |
|
Igor Thiago |
0.60 |
22 |
|
Viktor Gyökeres |
0.57 |
14 |
|
Federico Chiesa |
0.57 |
2 |
|
Zian Flemming |
0.56 |
11 |
|
Donyell Malen |
0.56 |
4 |
|
Hugo Ekitiké |
0.55 |
11 |
The man who effectively gifted Arsenal the title after pegging back Manchester City in May, Kroupi was so remarkably clinical last term, having missed just three ‘big chances’ all season.
He notably scored five in the final eight league games of the campaign, while he ended his first year with Bournemouth having scored home and away against both the Gunners and Manchester United.
Iraola put his faith in him and was handsomely rewarded, unleashing the free-scoring forward at the right times, easing him in gradually to begin with.
That ability to nurture young talent should be music to the ears of those back on Merseyside.
How Liverpool can sign Iraola’s next Kroupi
The Richard Hughes regime is over at Anfield, with Julian Ward now back at the helm as sporting director, having previously held the role back in 2022/23.
While the summer transfer window only ended just over a month ago, Ward and FSG are likely to already be looking ahead to January to fill any potential gaps in Iraola’s squad.
Midfield remains one priority, amid ongoing links to the likes of Lamine Camara, yet competition for Florian Wirtz also appears a necessity, hence the interest in Mexican sensation, Gilberto Mora.
According to reports in Mexico, Ward and co are believed to have tabled a bid for the 17-year-old, the figure said to be in the region of $50m (£37m).
“I’ve been told in Tijuana that they received, through Gilberto Mora’s representative, Rafaela Pimenta, an offer from an English club, in this case Liverpool,” journalist David Faitelson said.
“It would be a historic figure, above $50m, for Xolos de Tijuana for Gilberto Mora, who turns 18 next week.”
That hefty offer would seemingly mark a record sale for Liga MX, with Mora looking all but certain to leave in 2027, as he will be free to join a European club when he turns 18 later this month.
£37m for a young prospect does appear a little steep, yet this is a player whom journalist Graeme Bailey notably described as “one of the most exciting young talents in world football“.
Part of his country’s World Cup squad over the summer, Mora only recently scored his first goal for his country against Colombia, having racked up 13 senior appearances to date.
Back at club level, meanwhile, he’s been in rampant form for Club Tijuana, scoring and assisting six goals in just seven Liga MX appearances in 2026.
In 62 total games for his current side, he’s already scored 15 goals, a fine return considering he typically operates in an attacking midfield role or off the left. What a “little genius” he is, as hailed by Como scout Ben Mattinson.
He’s not exactly vastly experienced at first-team level, although neither was Kroupi when he rocked up at Bournemouth, the Frenchman having made 64 appearances of his own for Lorient, scoring 28 goals.
Prior to being struck down by injury, talk over the summer was that Kroupi was already courting interest from the Premier League’s elite, with Spurs said to be readying an £85m plus offer at one stage.
That highlighted what a stunning rise the forward had enjoyed in such a short space of time under Iraola’s watch, with there likely to be hope that Mora can soar just as successfully if he is to link up with the Spaniard in 2027.
He’s young and raw, undoubtedly, but who better for him to develop under than the Liverpool boss.