Overview
- Bayer Leverkusen activated a reported €8–9 million release clause at Hertha and completed Eichhorn’s medical to finalise the move on June 10, 2026.
- Eichhorn turned down approaches from Liverpool and Manchester City and opted to stay in Germany by signing for Leverkusen.
- Reports say Eichhorn agreed a long‑term contract through 2031, will wear No. 18, and received a substantial signing bonus that raised the deal’s effective cost.
- Leverkusen’s sporting director Simon Rolfes said the club convinced Eichhorn with a clear plan for his development and Leverkusen’s recent success developing young players helped sway him.
- The transfer underlines how short, time‑limited release clauses and agent demands can force fast decisions for elite minors and reinforce a trend of top German prospects preferring domestic pathways.