The gem of Hertha BSC, Kennet Eichhorn, has received plenty of attention recently from top clubs, including Bayern Munich, thanks to his eye-catching performances in the first half of the season.
At only 16 years old, Eichhorn has become a regular starter in Hertha's 4-2-3-1 with a double pivot. He usually takes a deep-lying role to shield the defence while impacting the build-up with his incredible movement and passing range.
A Pavlovic-esque player
Watching Eichhorn play, many fans cannot help but see the resemblance to Bayern Munich's midfield maestro Aleksandar Pavlovic.
A lanky and well-built player like his German predecessor, Eichhorn has a pro-ready physique standing at 6'1. His build allows him to be aggressive in duels and stretch his legs for tackles. The physical upsides, combined with an outstanding defensive IQ at 16, made him a reliable player to protect the back four.
In the build-up phase, he loves to roam around the halfway line, working as a connector between the backline and the frontline. The way he moves and positions himself to receive and progress the pass shows maturity beyond his years. Eichhorn makes it look easy despite being under pressure.
We talked about his impressive passing range. Like Pavlovic, he is phenomenal at dictating the tempo and playing short, simple passes to his advanced playmakers. However, he can occasionally throw in some killer switches to the flanks or through-balls to catch the defence off guard.
Neither Eichhorn nor Pavlovic is a frequent box-crasher, but they have caught many by surprise with their penalty area entry that resulted in goals. Not to mention, they are also capable of firing a deadly long-range effort.
Aggressive in challenges
Eichhorn has a lot of intriguing intangibles for someone only 16 years of age playing in the second-highest division in Germany.
Yet, younger players tend to lose their focus and go in for unnecessary rough challenges. Eichhorn is no different. The Hertha wonderkid has received five yellow cards in 11 matches played this year, leading him to be substituted early on many occasions.
How can Kennet Eichhorn fit into Bayern's system?
Bayern Munich is looking to move away from Leon Goretzka this winter or next summer. With Pavlovic and Kimmich as the bona fide starters and Tom Bischof backing up, Vincent Kompany is seeking another young talent to be the fourth or fifth midfielder for Bayern Munich.
As it is said, Kennet Eichhorn can be a perfect understudy for Aleksandar Pavlovic with the same playstyle and build.
The €25 million package that Bayern are reportedly going to pay is not small, considering it is for a 16-year-old. But Eichhorn has all the talent in the world to become one of Germany's best all-around midfielders in the future.