German midfielder Kennet Eichhorn has turned down a move to Liverpool despite a “strong financial and sporting offer” from the Premier League club, according to Sky Germany. The 16-year-old, who plays for 2. Bundesliga side Hertha BSC, is considered one of Germany’s most promising young talents, with some comparing his potential to that of former Chelsea and Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack.
Eichhorn broke into Hertha’s first team last summer, becoming a regular feature after turning 16. His performances in the German second tier attracted attention from several major European clubs, including Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, and Manchester City. Liverpool emerged as frontrunners in recent weeks, proposing a pre-agreement similar to the one Tottenham struck with Hajduk Split for Luka Vuskovic in 2023, where the player would officially join after turning 18 while continuing his development on loan.
Liverpool reportedly planned to loan Eichhorn to Bayer Leverkusen for one or two seasons, a plan that gained traction among Bundesliga directors. The potential transfer was drawing comparisons to last year’s acquisition of Florian Wirtz, with Liverpool appearing to secure a significant coup. However, Eichhorn has opted to remain in Germany, prioritizing continued development within his home country.
While the transfer fee to trigger Eichhorn’s release clause is relatively low – estimated between €10 million and €12 million for international clubs, and around €8 million for German clubs before June 15th – Bayern Munich reportedly cooled their interest due to concerns over a high signing-on fee demanded by the player’s representatives. This leaves Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig as potential destinations, though the race is now wide open.
According to data from SciSports, Eichhorn possesses a high potential rating among U20 midfielders currently playing senior football. The analytics firm suggests that, if he reaches his ceiling, Eichhorn could surpass the current levels of Liverpool midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, trailing only Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz in overall potential within the Liverpool squad.
