According to reports, Liverpool have been left in a two-way battle to sign record-breaking midfielder Kennet Eichhorn from Hertha Berlin.
Last year, the 16-year-old defensive midfielder became the youngest footballer to ever play in the 2. Bundesliga after making his senior debut for Hertha Berlin, and is being touted as a big player for the future.
Last month, we reported that Manchester City have hatched an ambitious plan to fend off competition from Newcastle United to sign Eichhorn, but it later emerged that Liverpool were trying to beat them to the transfer.
Liverpool are going to be active in this summer’s transfer market after their poor 2025/26 campaign, but Eichhorn is more of a signing for the future.
The latest information from German outlet SportBILD claims Borussia Dortmund have provided competition for Eichhorn, but they are currently refusing to ‘match’ Hertha Berlin’s asking price worth 20 million euros (around £17m) to ‘secure’ his arrival.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have laughed off this potential stumbling block as a ‘minor detail’ and would be willing to pay what Hertha Berlin want for the ‘midfield jewel’, though they are rivalled by Bayer Leverkusen, who are also ‘not deterred by the cost’.
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Liverpool take next step to sign Kennet Eichhorn
Rules currently prohibit Eichhorn from joining Liverpool before his 18th birthday, because it is a move to a non-EU country, but the Reds are ‘already actively searching for a loan club’ ahead of his potential move to Anfield.
You have to fancy Liverpool’s chances of being able to beat Leverkusen to Eichhorn after they have done the same to land Andoni Iraola as Arne Slot’s replacement.
As alluded to above, Liverpool will be in the market for signings to make an immediate impact for Iraola next season, and club legend Robbie Fowler has explained why he thinks his former club has moved for the departing Bournemouth boss.
Fowler told Bet MGM: “Straight away if a new manager can come in and give everyone a bit of a lift it gives everyone a bit more energy and things improve,” Fowler said.
“I think what we don’t want is the style of football we’ve seen over the last year which has been quite slow and not that exciting. If that continues, the new manager puts themself under pressure.
“If you look at Bournemouth and Liverpool they are totally different. Expectation levels and the fact that you’re going to have a lot more games at Liverpool means there is so much more pressure.
“However, if [Andoni] Iraloa does come to Liverpool, I think there’s going to be a lot of excitement because of the way he got Bournemouth to play. He looks more of a Jurgen Klopp-type manager than Arne Slot in the way his teams play – very high-energy and pressing high.
“They had a bit more oomph than Liverpool had last season and that’s what the fans want. If someone can come in and not emulate what Jurgen did but get to a level where the style and standard of football is at that level, I can’t see any reason why the fans won’t be on board straight away.”
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