Kennet Eichhorn is the talk of European football at the moment, with major clubs from England and Germany keen on signing the 16-year-old sensation, but what are Dortmund's chances of securing his signature over clubs like Liverpool and Manchester City?
The topic of Kennet Eichhorn has been rumbling on for several weeks now, and many clubs have been linked with the touted German prodigy. The Hertha Berlin midfielder has had a breakout year for the Bundesliga 2 outfit, making 17 appearances for the side, which finished 7th in the division and has earned comparisons to the legendary German midfielder, Toni Kroos, which, for a 16-year-old who’s only made 17 appearances in senior men's football, tells you how highly rated this kid is.
Tim Groothuis/Witters Sport via USA TODAY SportsHowever, the recent reports on whether Dortmund had withdrawn from the race to sign the young midfielder have been mixed, to say the least.
On Tuesday, SportBild reported that Dortmund were, in fact, unwilling to meet the terms being demanded for Eichhorn. These terms were not coming from the transfer fee side with Hertha Berlin, but rather the signing-on fee that the players' representatives were reportedly asking for, which is rumoured to be in the double digits and be more than what Hertha Berlin would be receiving for the player themselves.
Within the same report, it was stated that Dortmund are still, however, looking for a player of Eichhorn’s age bracket and potential to come into the squad. Dortmund are said to be content with Jobe Bellingham’s development since moving to Germany a year ago, Felix Nmecha is considered a key part of the club's midfield going into next season, and the club still feels Marcel Sabitzer has something to offer and is also in the club's plans.
Mark Smith-Imagn ImagesHowever, recent posts from Florian Plettenberg have suggested that by no means have they withdrawn from the race for the 16-year-old midfielder and are still firmly in the hunt for his signature.
Despite this more positive news regarding Dortmund’s likelihood of signing Eichhorn, Liverpool is said to be the frontrunner and favourite to sign him, although he would be unable to move to Liverpool until he was 18 due to Brexit rules, while Manchester City and previously Bayern Munich hold an interest in the transfer; however, the latter of those teams in Bayern have reportedly withdrawn from the race.
Author's take
Unfortunately for Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, in particular, seems to have a bit of an edge on Dortmund when it comes to financial pull, due to the superior amount of money in the Premier League, and a seeming willingness to spend more than Dortmund on Eichhorn. However, one key factor in this transfer saga is the fact that Eichhorn cannot move to England before turning 18.
Therefore, if he wants to secure a permanent move to a better club and start playing for that club immediately, then remaining in Germany remains a real possibility, but only time will tell. As it stands, all the noise appears to be indicating that a move to Anfield is most likely, but transfers can change very quickly, especially with so many clubs interested.
