Liverpool, Man City ‘Rejected’ by Midfield Prodigy

The German talent has been likened to boyhood idol Sergio Busquets.

Kennet Eichhorn just enjoyed a breakout season with Hertha BSC. | Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Liverpool appear set to miss out on 16-year-old midfielder Kennet Eichhorn this summer, despite presenting the teen prodigy with a more attractive financial offer than he stands to get anywhere else.

Premier League rivals Manchester City also look to have lost the battle to sign the Hertha BSC gem, with reports revealing he is expected to join Bayer Leverkusen for his next chapter instead.

Berlin-born Eichhorn made the senior breakthrough with local club Hertha last season, playing 17 times in 2. Bundesliga—it would likely have been far more but for an ankle injury that kept him sidelined from late January until late March.

But with Hertha set for a fourth straight season outside Germany’s top flight, the time has already come for Eichhorn to move on for the betterment of his career.

Sky Sport Germany reports that Eichhorn has actively turned down the chance to join Liverpool, having been “aggressively pursued” by the 2024–25 English champions. The Reds would have paid the youngster more money than any club in Germany is willing to, yet “sporting development” has motivated his decision to remain in his home country and join Leverkusen instead.

Manchester City are assumed to have missed out for the same reason. It is suggested that both English clubs wanted to sign Eichhorn and have him join Leverkusen on loan for the upcoming season—players cannot be transferred internationally outside the E.U. before the age of 18. But Leverkusen had other ideas and wanted to purchase the talent outright for themselves.

According to The Athletic, Leverkusen will now activate a release clause set out in Eichhorn’s Hertha contract, allowing a contract to soon be signed. Other “top clubs” in Germany were also after the U17 national team player, which makes it a “significant coup” for Leverkusen. Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, both of whom have Champions League soccer in 2026–27 to offer, are named by Sky.

---

Kennet Eichhorn Chooses Clearer Pathway

Eichhorn is backing himself for the Bundesliga. | City-Press/Getty Images

Choosing Bayer Leverkusen, after the persuasive efforts of senior executives Simon Rolfes and Kim Falkenberg, is a conservative but perhaps ultimately intelligent move for Eichhorn.

It remains a strong German club with high potential and European competition on the schedule. But there is also a noted family-like culture and a commitment to developing and nurturing young players, all the while still often going under the radar compared to clubs like Dortmund or Leipzig.

Eichhorn could have chosen Liverpool or Manchester City and still ended up playing for Leverkusen next season—the assumption is that as a 6'1” midfielder likened to Sergio Busquets he will be immediately exposed to Bundesliga action—but would then have been at the mercy of either Premier League team’s much more competitive squad come his 18th birthday in July 2027.

Not managing to sign Eichhorn doesn’t change anything in the short-term for Liverpool or Manchester City. However, if his upward trajectory continues as expected, it means recruiting the German in the future will be much more expensive than if they’d been successful now.

---