Most valuable 16yo 

©TM/IMAGO

Kennet Eichhorn is one of the most coveted teenagers in the world and the prodigiously gifted midfielder is destined to move to a major European club this summer. Eichhorn remains a relatively unknown quantity outside of Germany, but he’s widely viewed as a generational talent with a massive future ahead of him. Still only 16 years old, Eichhorn has already cemented his role as a key player for Hertha Berlin in 2. Bundesliga and has displayed maturity beyond his tender years.

The defensive midfielder has been completely unfazed by playing in front of 50,000 supporters and he’s already broken a number of records this season; the youngest player in 2. Bundesliga history, the youngest starter in the German second-flight and the youngest goalscorer in the history of the DFB Pokal. It’s almost inevitable that Hertha Berlin will lose their prized asset this summer and Eichhorn isn’t short of reputable suitors.

Who is Kennet Eichhorn?

There was huge excitement around Eichhorn at Hertha Berlin before he made his professional debut against Karlsruhe in August. The midfielder quickly asserted himself as a key player before an ankle injury disrupted his campaign but he’s recently returned to full fitness. Eichhorn has made 16 appearances overall this campaign and his stratospheric rise has led to him gaining a market value of €20 million.

As the graphic shows, Eichhorn is currently the joint-most valuable 16-year-old in the world, alongside Max Dowman. The defensive midfielder is incredibly calm in possession, intelligent in his positioning and understanding of his responsibilities. Eichhorn has earned comparisons to one of his idols, Toni Kroos with the Real Madrid legend’s brother Felix Kroos waxing lyrical about the wonderkid. “The way he plays is remarkable,” Kroos said. “He radiates calm, he’s gaining valuable experience but is allowed to make mistakes. I hope he continues to develop at Hertha.”

The transfer battle for Kennet Eichhorn

Naturally, several leading Bundesliga clubs are monitoring Eichhorn’s development at Hertha, including Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. The midfielder, however, is also on the radar of several Premier League clubs with Manchester City the latest to express an interest. According to Fabrizio Romano, City chiefs are exploring a potential deal this summer, instigated by new sporting Hugo Viana, who is targeting the best technical talent in Europe.

While he’s valued at €20m on Transfermarkt, Eichhorn will likely depart for a lower fee due to a reported release clause in his contract. Various reputable sources in Germany have claimed that a clause will become active this summer for around €10-12m. There are several factors that will determine the final figure, including whether the interested club is participating in the Champions League and whether Hertha secure promotion. That mooted fee is an absolute bargain for a player of Eichhorn’s potential, who seems destined for the very top.