When two of the most powerful clubs in world football come calling, most 16-year-olds would at least pause to consider the offer. Kennet Eichhorn did consider it. Then he said no to both of them.
The German defensive midfielder has rejected approaches from Liverpool and Manchester City, choosing instead to stay in the Bundesliga by signing with Bayer Leverkusen. Leverkusen activated a reported €9M release clause at Hertha BSC, beating a tight deadline that was set to expire around June 15, 2026.
The deal and why it happened so fast
The urgency here wasn’t about competing bids. It was about a ticking clock. Eichhorn’s release clause at Hertha BSC had a hard expiration date hovering around mid-June, which meant any club serious about signing him needed to move quickly or risk the price tag changing entirely.
Leverkusen didn’t hesitate. The club activated the clause, and medicals are reportedly imminent as Leverkusen prepares to bring Eichhorn into the fold.
