€12m bargain: Man Utd rival Arsenal for game-changing Casemiro replacement

Manchester United have joined Arsenal in the race for Hertha BSC wonderkid Kennet Eichhorn as they seek a long-term replacement for Casemiro.

The Brazil international has announced that he will depart Old Trafford in the summer following the expiration of his contract. There were talks over a potential extension on reduced terms, but it was ultimately decided that it would be best to part ways.

Casemiro’s next destination remains unclear. He has been linked with clubs in Portugal, Saudi Arabia, the USA and his native Brazil. What is already clear is that there will be a significant midfield reshuffle at Man Utd this summer.

With Manuel Ugarte also likely to depart, the Red Devils will look to sign at least two new midfielders after this season. They have several marquee targets, such as Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba, while a few other names are also on their shortlist.

However, Man Utd may not only sign established stars. It is possible that they also bring in a long-term prospect who can become a regular starter further down the line. One such option is Hertha teenager Kennet Eichhorn, according to BILD reporter Christian Falk.

Man Utd want Eichhorn

The 16-year-old has been the biggest revelation of the 2. Bundesliga season, starting 12 games across all competitions before being sidelined by an ankle injury that has now already kept him out for several weeks.

Eichhorn, the captain of Germany’s U17s, is regarded as one of the biggest prospects in European football, and he has certainly played like it this season. For a player this young, he has been nothing short of sensational.

Recent reports have asserted that he has decided to leave Hertha this summer. Though these claims have been emphatically dismissed, it is nevertheless a distinct possibility that he leaves his boyhood club in 2026.

That is because he has already outgrown the contract he was given last summer. The €12 million release clause in his deal looks like an absolute bargain, and Hertha are naturally desperate to get rid of it. Contract talks, though, have yet to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

In addition to Man Utd, Arsenal have also been keeping tabs on the teenager for months. Obviously, he would not be able to actually move to the UK until he turns 18 in the summer of 2027, but he could be signed and loaned out.

This could be ideal for his development. With Hertha looking increasingly unlikely to achieve promotion back to the Bundesliga this season, he could be parked at a top-flight club in the summer before later making the move to the Premier League.

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