Barcelona have missed out on one of the most interesting young midfielders in Germany, with Kennet Eichhorn set to continue his development at Bayer Leverkusen.
The 16-year-old Hertha Berlin talent had attracted attention from several major European clubs after emerging as one of the brightest prospects in German football.
Barcelona were among the teams monitoring him, alongside the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig.
According to SPORT, Leverkusen have now activated his release clause worth around €9 million, with Eichhorn set to sign a contract until 2031 after completing his medical.
The young midfielder has already earned comparisons to the legendary Toni Kroos because of his calmness, passing range, vision and maturity on the ball.
Barcelona admired a low-cost, high-upside opportunity
✍️ El #Bayer04 ficha a Kennet Eichhorn, internacional alemán sub-17. El centrocampista de 16 años llega a Leverkusen procedente del Hertha BSC.
¡Bienvenido, Kennet! 🤗#SomosBayer04 🖤❤️ pic.twitter.com/CGbw4QQEsQ
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_es) June 10, 2026
For Barcelona, Eichhorn was never presented as an immediate first-team signing, but as a smart long-term opportunity.
Deco and the sporting department had reportedly been following him for months, viewing him as a young technical midfielder who could develop into a useful rotation option in the future.
Barcelona will always need midfield profiles who excel at controlling the game and will want to surround Pedri with more such players in the future to reduce his workload.
Eichhorn’s profile makes a lot of sense on paper, and if he has earned comparisons to Kroos, who was a master at controlling the game, it is highly likely that he has what it takes to develop into an orchestrator in the future.
However, Barcelona’s interest was merely superficial, and they never really made a formal move to try to sign him.
Another reminder for Barcelona’s scouting department
Kennet Eichhorn, Hertha Berlin player
Kennet Eichhorn has signed for Leverkusen. (Photo by Juergen Schwarz/Getty Images for DFB)
Eichhorn rejected interest from some of the best clubs in Europe to prioritise Leverkusen, who convinced him with a clear pathway to first-team football.
Barcelona cannot do much about such a situation. They cannot go around signing every talented youngster in the world, but should Eichhorn make rapid strides, this is one missed transfer that could sting.
La Masia remains packed with midfield talent waiting for an opportunity. Still, opportunities like this matter because elite midfielders are becoming harder and more expensive to find.
Eichhorn may have chosen to stay in Germany, but it is a welcome sign that Barcelona are constantly on the lookout for elite talents around the world.
Barcelona can still track his progress closely in case a door opens in the coming years, depending on his development.