The teenager has made 16 appearances in all competitions this season for the 2. Bundesliga side, scoring once, before an ankle injury kept him out for two months between January and March. His progress has drawn attention from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City and others, but journalist Florian Plettenberg reports that Eichhorn is expected to choose from the four Bundesliga clubs when deciding his next move.
Leverkusen have been the most aggressive in their pursuit. Sporting managing director Simon Rolfes and director of professional football Kim Falkenberg flew to Berlin to hold concrete talks with the player's representatives. The plan, according to reports, would see Eichhorn loaned back to Hertha for the 2026-27 season to continue his development — a model that mirrors Leverkusen's successful recruitment of Ibrahim Maza from the same club last summer.
Bayern have also held talks with Eichhorn's entourage and can offer the appeal of their campus and development structure. Dortmund and Leipzig remain firmly in contention, with all four clubs aware that regular first-team minutes may prove more readily available outside Munich.
His release clause, set at between €10 and €12 million depending on the buying club's competition level, makes this one of the summer's most affordable opportunities at the elite end of the market. His Transfermarkt valuation has already risen to around €20 million since his debut, and that figure is likely to climb further once a deal is confirmed.
No agreement has been reached with any club. But with his release clause activatable this summer and Hertha competing in the second tier, a departure looks inevitable. The race is now between four clubs to convince a 16-year-old that their project is the right one.