Liverpool's hopes of signing Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn have collapsed after the 16-year-old rejected the club in favour of a move to Bayer Leverkusen, according to reports from TEAMtalk and The Athletic.

The Anfield club had been working on a deal for several weeks and grew increasingly confident they could land the Germany Under-17 international, whose release clause is reported to be worth €8-9m (approximately £7-7.5m). Manchester City and Chelsea were also in the race for his signature.

TEAMtalk's Graeme Bailey reported that Liverpool believed they had made significant progress in their pursuit, with the club's reputation for nurturing young talent considered a key selling point. However, all interested Premier League clubs have since been told that Eichhorn will not be moving to England at this stage of his career.

Leverkusen land surprise coup

David Ornstein of The Athletic reports that Eichhorn will instead join Bayer Leverkusen, the 2024 Bundesliga champions. RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund were also competing for the midfielder, making the outcome a notable surprise.