Manchester City are increasingly confident they have devised the winning formula to secure the signature of German wonderkid Kennet Eichhorn, with TEAMtalk able to confirm the ambitious plan they believe can beat a host of elite rivals to the Hertha Berlin teenager.
The highly-rated 16-year-old midfielder has emerged as one of the most coveted talents in European youth football, attracting serious interest from some of the continent’s biggest clubs ahead of a huge summer decision on his future.
Eichhorn is regarded by many scouts as one of Germany’s standout prospects for his age group, with his technical quality, intelligence in possession and maturity drawing widespread admiration from recruitment departments across Europe.
However, FIFA regulations complicate the race because Eichhorn is under 18. Due to this, Premier League clubs are unable to move him abroad immediately, meaning English sides have had to devise creative solutions in an attempt to compete with German rivals.
Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig all want to sign Eichhorn this summer and can offer him an immediate pathway to continue his development domestically.
Man City, though, believe they have come up with an ideal offer as City Football Group have proposed a structure that would see Eichhorn become part of their wider football network before spending at least two seasons on loan with Bayer Leverkusen.
The arrangement would allow the teenager to remain in Germany and continue developing at elite level while simultaneously committing his long-term future to the City project.
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Man City ‘confident’ of sealing exciting signing
Sources state Man City are increasingly confident the proposal has been extremely well received and believe it could ultimately prove decisive in winning the race.
Leverkusen are also understood to be highly receptive to the concept, given the opportunity to work with one of German football’s brightest emerging talents.
Man City have made youth recruitment a major strategic focus in recent years and continue to aggressively pursue elite teenage prospects from around the world.
TEAMtalk understands Eichhorn is viewed internally as a player with enormous long-term potential and someone capable of eventually fitting seamlessly into Manchester City’s footballing model.
The Cityzens’ interest in the midfielder comes amid uncertainty surrounding the future of Rodri, who, as we revealed this morning, Jose Mourinho and Florentino Perez are determined to bring to Real Madrid this summer.
Eichhorn clearly wouldn’t be a direct replacement for Rodri yet, but has potential to fill that void in the years to come.
But Pep Guardiola’s side are far from alone in the chase, with Newcastle also pushing hard to strike an agreement with the teenager.
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Newcastle in race for Eichhorn after ‘talks’
As TEAMtalk revealed last month, Newcastle have already held talks regarding Eichhorn and explored a structure that would involve signing him before loaning him back to Germany to continue his progression.
We can also confirm that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all considering similar solutions as they attempt to position themselves for the teenager’s future.
The growing list of admirers reflects the widespread belief within football that Eichhorn possesses the tools to become one of Europe’s next major stars.
Despite the mounting interest, those close to the player insist he is not rushing into a decision.
TEAMtalk understands Eichhorn has a strong attachment to hometown club Hertha Berlin and had initially been open to remaining in the German capital for longer.
However, Hertha’s failure to secure promotion back to the Bundesliga has significantly increased uncertainty surrounding his future.
Sources acknowledge the absence of top-flight football could now accelerate discussions over a move elsewhere as the teenager weighs up the best pathway for his development.
With Bayern, Dortmund and Leipzig able to offer immediate domestic opportunities, and Premier League giants now creating innovative plans around Fifa restrictions, Eichhorn faces one of the biggest decisions of his young career.
And as things stand, Man City are increasingly optimistic their proposal could be the one that ultimately secures his signature.
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