Hertha Berlin Midfielder Joins Manchester United Shortlist

Manchester United’s search for midfield reinforcements has taken a fresh twist, with Hertha Berlin prodigy Kennet Eichhorn emerging as the latest name on an ever-lengthening list of targets.

With Casemiro already confirming his departure at the expiration of his contract and Manuel Ugarte’s future in doubt after an underwhelming spell since his move from Paris Saint-Germain, United are braced for a double overhaul in the engine room. Qualification for next season’s Champions League is viewed as a prerequisite for the anticipated twin arrivals, and recruitment staff have accelerated background work on more than half a dozen candidates.

German outlet BILD reports that Eichhorn, 16, has been added to a portfolio that already includes Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali, Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. United first registered interest in November 2025, when the teenager was promoted from Hertha’s academy to the senior squad, and they now face competition from Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

A syndesmosis injury suffered in a clash with Schalke last month has sidelined the left-footed midfielder indefinitely; he is currently in a protective boot and on crutches, with fears he could miss the remainder of the campaign. The setback has not dimmed the enthusiasm of Europe’s elite, but United’s pursuit is complicated by Eichhorn’s age. Premier League rules bar the club from completing an international transfer until the player turns 18, mirroring previous approaches for Diego Leon and Cristian Orozco.

United ultimately secured pre-contract agreements for both youngsters, with Leon arriving last summer and Orozco scheduled to join at the end of the current season. A similar template is expected for Eichhorn: either a loan back to Hertha or another European side until 2027, or an official pre-contract commitment that would see him move to Old Trafford once he reaches the age threshold.