Florian Plettenberg posted on X: "Kennet Eichhorn to Bayer 04 Leverkusen — DONE DEAL. The 16-year-old gem has now given his final green light.
"Rejections have been sent to all other clubs. Eichhorn will join Leverkusen from Hertha BSC via a release clause worth €8-9 million. Contract until 2031. Medical soon. The saga is over."
The Athletic's David Ornstein described the signing as "a significant coup" and noted that Bayer Leverkusen's ability to win the race was a major surprise given the scale of competition from English and German clubs.
Eichhorn made 17 appearances for Hertha in the 2. Bundesliga this season, starting 14 of them, and scored once — an exceptional return for a player who turned 16 in February. He became the youngest player in 2. Bundesliga history when he made his professional debut for the Berlin club and drew comparisons to some of Germany's finest young midfield talents.
Liverpool had been considered the frontrunners in the final stages of the race. The Merseyside club were in concrete talks with Eichhorn's representatives and had reportedly tabled the richest financial offer of any interested party. A creative arrangement was also explored under which Liverpool would sign him immediately and loan him to Leverkusen for development, given UK regulations preventing professional contracts for players under 18.
That plan was ultimately superseded by Leverkusen's direct approach. The role of Kostantinos Kotsifakis — a trusted figure in Eichhorn's development who recently joined Leverkusen's coaching staff — is understood to have been decisive.
Manchester City had explored a similar loan structure to Liverpool's proposed arrangement. Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig were all eliminated at earlier stages of the process.
The release clause of €8-9 million, fixed in his Hertha contract, made the transaction straightforward once Eichhorn gave his agreement. The remaining sum in the overall package — estimated at around €20 million in total — relates to signing-on payments to the player's side.
Leverkusen will look to develop Eichhorn progressively. A loan back to Hertha for the 2026-27 season is understood to be under consideration as the club looks to manage his transition carefully.