Bayer Leverkusen beat out Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and several other top European clubs to sign 16-year-old midfielder Kennet Eichhorn from Hertha BSC. The deal drew attention across Europe given the number of clubs that had been tracking the young German.
According to Yahoo Sports, Leverkusen managing director for sport Simon Rolfes spoke to Bild about how the club secured the signing. Rolfes pointed to a relationship that had been building with the Eichhorn family for some time before any formal negotiations began.
"We have known the family for quite some time; that was a major advantage in the discussions. They were here last year, they have been closely following Bayer 04 and have built a good connection with various staff members from the academy and the first-team setup," Rolfes said.
Rolfes said the club made a collective push to land the player and that the family noticed.
"As an entire club, we campaigned for and fought for Kennet. That made an impression. Kennet's parents said that this was something very special."
The final decision came after a meeting between Eichhorn and new head coach Carles Martínez, which Rolfes also attended. Rolfes described the moment he addressed Eichhorn directly.
"I said to Kennet:, You haven't played for us yet, but you already know half the club."
Beyond football, Eichhorn's path at Leverkusen will include an educational component. After completing his Fachabitur, he is required to complete a one-year internship as part of his schooling, and Rolfes confirmed where that will take place.
"Kennet still has to complete a one-year internship after finishing his 'Fachabitur', and he will most likely do that with us at the club," Rolfes said.
Eichhorn has not yet appeared for the senior squad at Leverkusen. His integration into the academy and first-team environment is expected to begin in the coming months.
