United locked in “unprecedented” transfer battle for 16-yo magician tipped to be the next Toni Kroos – Sky Sports

Manchester United invested carefully in the squad over the summer, signing proven names like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, as well as rising stars like Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens. One area where the Red Devils are focusing on ahead of 2026 is the midfield, with the likes of Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Angelo Stiller among the players on their radar. The Premier League giants also have an eye on the future and have signed several emerging football talents in recent times. A recent report relayed by The Peoples Person states that United have identified emerging Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn as a target. The new Toni Kroos Eichhorn’s playing style has already drawn comparisons with legendary German midfielder Toni Kroos. The 16 year old has broken into Hertha Berlin’s senior team this season and earned widespread praise for his performances. The 6ft 1in defensive midfielder has already started eight of his ten appearances for the first team this season, further underlining his growing importance to the side. Kennet Eichhorn Stats for Senior Team: 2025/26 CompetitionAppearancesGoalsAssistsYellow CardRed CardMinutes Played 2. Bundesliga9–5-579′ DFB-Pokal1—-71′ Total10–5-650′ Source: TransfermarktThe Red Devils are now hot on his trail, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig also in the race. It was previously believed that the Germany Under-16 international would cost around €20 million, but it now appears United could secure his services for a significantly lower fee. Eichhorn’s nominal release clause According to Sky Germany, Eichhorn has a release clause between €10 million to 12 million, which will become active next summer. The news will certainly delight United, who are aiming to snap up talent with high potential before they become household names. The young German certainly fits the bill. After a disastrous first six months in charge, Ruben Amorim is slowly getting his act together at the Theatre of Dreams, thanks to a well-planned summer transfer window. United are currently on a five-game unbeaten run for the first time under their Portuguese head coach, and the early signs this season have been promising. However, to sustain their recent progress, the Red Devils will also need to put long-term plans in place. Securing the services of a generational talent like Eichhorn would be a step in the right direction. 🚨🔵⚪️ Nearly all top European sides are interested in 16y/o Kennet #Eichhorn. From Germany, this includes Leipzig, Bayern, Dortmund, Eintracht and Leverkusen and more. From abroad, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and PSG are among those monitoring him. He is already a… pic.twitter.com/xxt3a96Aq3 — Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) November 11, 2025 Featured image Christian Kaspar-Bartke via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.