Real Madrid and Barcelona are keeping an eye on Eli Junior Kroupi, the striker dubbed the “new Mbappe.”

Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Endrick are Real Madrid’s three young strikers that are already quite good. Barcelona has the best offensive in La Liga, which has helped them take the lead. That hasn’t stopped the two Spanish football titans from going after the same name, Eli Junior Kroupi, though.

In eight appearances, the 18-year-old attacker has four goals and one assist, making him a sensation in Ligue 2. Last season, Junior Kroupi truly made an impression with 31 games played, five goals, and three assists. Lorient’s 17-year-old heroics have not kept him in Ligue 1, but they have made Juventus, AC Milan, and Napoli take notice of him.

But Junior Kroupi has turned down offers from Italy, choosing to remain in order to return his childhood team to Ligue 1. He helped Lorient momentarily take the top spot in the Ligue 2 league with four goals in eight games, demonstrating that everything is still working as planned. But now that the two dominant teams in La Liga are beginning to take notice of the newest, fresh talent in French football, everything might change.

With four goals in eight games so far this season in Ligue 2, Junior Kroupi is a phenomenon.

A striker who has represented France at every young level, from U16 to U19, is undoubtedly drawn to Barça and Real Madrid. It will also be simpler to recruit Junior Kroupi because he is a Ligue 2 player and only costs €10 million. But don’t let that deceive you—there’s a good reason why this striker is referred to as “the new Mbappe.”

Junior Kroupi shares the same amazing speed, deft technique, and mastery of space maneuvering as the French commander. His slender frame and ability to kick “one stick” are his primary limitations. Remember, though, that this young man is only eighteen, and he still has plenty of time to grow into a better person.