Arsenal and Manchester United are reportedly leading the race to sign Kennet Eichhorn, the 16-year-old Hertha Berlin midfielder being hailed in Germany as the “next Toni Kroos”.
Eichhorn has emerged as one of the brightest talents in the 2. Bundesliga this season, establishing himself in the Hertha first team far earlier than expected. After impressing in pre-season, he has featured in nine of the club’s 13 matches across all competitions, displaying a composure and intelligence in possession well beyond his years.
Both Arsenal and United have sent scouts to monitor his progress, joining an elite list of suitors that includes Liverpool, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
However, any potential transfer remains some way off.
FIFA regulations prevent German players from moving abroad before the age of 18, meaning Eichhorn will not be eligible for a transfer until 2027.
Despite the growing attention, Eichhorn’s life remains far removed from football’s spotlight. According to Sport-Bild, he lives on Hertha’s training campus, attends a nearby school, and spends his evenings watching matches, playing basketball or video games with other academy players. He has little interest in social media and is regarded within the club as mature, focused and grounded.
His style has drawn inevitable comparisons with Kroos, whom he idolised as a child. Like the former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder, Eichhorn is a deep-lying playmaker with an exceptional passing range and a knack for controlling the tempo of matches. His ability to glide past opponents and time late runs into the box has only heightened the buzz around him.
Hertha, currently chasing promotion back to the Bundesliga, are determined to keep their prized asset as long as possible and are expected to offer him improved terms to reflect his growing stature.
Eichhorn himself has not commented publicly on the speculation, but Felix Kroos, brother of the World Cup winner, has acknowledged the comparisons, telling German media that he sees “the same calmness and technical quality” in the youngster.