- Man City have made direct contact with representatives of Kennet Eichhorn
- Sixteen-year-old defensive midfielder one of the most talked-about young talents in Europe
- City reported to be among several clubs monitoring the Hertha BSC teenager
Manchester City have made direct contact with representatives of Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn, as per reports from Germany.
The update represents a concrete step forward from the initial interest reported by Fabrizio Romano earlier this week, which revealed that Manchester City had joined the race for the 16-year-old alongside clubs in the Bundesliga and Premier League.
Eichhorn has been one of the standout stories of the 2. Bundesliga season, having made his senior debut for Hertha BSC in August 2025 to become the youngest player in the competition’s history at just 16 years and 14 days old – a record that drew widespread attention from clubs across Europe.
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The Bernau bei Berlin-born defensive midfielder has since made 13 appearances in all competitions for Hertha this term, earning comparisons with Germany and Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos for his composure and natural authority in the middle of the park.
He has captained Germany at U17 level and holds a current market value of around €20 million – a remarkable figure for a player who only signed his first professional contract last summer.
Falk: City have contacted Eichhorn’s representatives
According to BILD’s Christian Falk, executives at the Etihad Stadium have already made contact with representatives of Hertha BSC midfielder Eichhorn, with the Blues understood to be serious in their interest as they continue to plan for a significant summer of recruitment at the Etihad Stadium.
Eichhorn fits the mould of the type of profile director of football Hugo Viana has targeted since his appointment at the Etihad Stadium last summer – young, technically gifted players with significant development potential and a high ceiling, acquired ahead of the curve before rival clubs can move.
What is the wider context for City’s interest in Eichhorn?
City’s midfield is set for considerable change this summer. Club captain Bernardo Silva is set to departs as a free agent in June and Rodri‘s future remains unresolved amid persistent interest from Real Madrid, with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson the primary target for an immediate midfield impact signing this summer.
Eichhorn, by contrast, represents a longer-term investment – a project signing of the kind Viana has already demonstrated an appetite for through acquisitions such as Abdukodir Khusanov and Rayan Cherki since taking over from Txiki Begiristain last summer.
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Hertha BSC are currently competing in the 2. Bundesliga and hold Eichhorn under contract, meaning they will be under no obligation to sell – though City’s willingness to make early contact suggests they are keen to move quickly before interest from the Bundesliga giants already monitoring the situation intensifies further.
Whether a deal can be concluded this summer or whether the pursuit extends into future windows remains to be seen but Falk’s update makes clear City are not simply watching from a distance.
