Leverkusen Faces Midfield Challenge After Eichhorn's Health Setback

Bayer Leverkusen’s summer coup has turned into a summer concern. Kennet Eichhorn, the 17-year-old midfielder signed amid huge expectations, is facing an indefinite spell out after doctors diagnosed a metabolic illness.

The alarm bells started ringing in mid-July. Eichhorn suddenly dropped five kilos in five days due to a gastrointestinal infection. What initially looked like a brutal but short-lived setback has turned into something far more serious. He is now receiving inpatient treatment, where specialists are working both to identify the exact causes of the illness and to rebuild his physical strength.

For Leverkusen, the diagnosis lands like a punch to the gut. According to Sport Bild, the club are preparing for a lengthy absence and have removed Eichhorn from their squad planning for the entire first half of the season. There is no timetable, no rough return date, nothing. Just uncertainty around a player who was supposed to be one of the faces of their future.

Midfield reshuffle

The consequences are immediate. Leverkusen had originally intended to sell two central midfielders to streamline a crowded department and finance further moves. With Eichhorn out of the picture for now, that plan has been scaled back. Only one central midfielder is expected to leave.

• Equi Fernandez (24)
• Aleix Garcia (29)
• Robert Andrich (31)

Fernandez currently looks the most likely to go. He has the strongest market and could reportedly fetch around 20 million euros. His situation at the club has already had its twists. After falling out with former coach Kasper Hjulmand, his standing under Carles Martinez has improved, the relationship now described as intact. That makes his possible departure a sporting risk, but also a financial opportunity.

Garcia, for his part, is understood to be open to a move. He “can imagine” a transfer, as the report puts it. The problem lies elsewhere: the right suitors have yet to step forward with a convincing offer. Interest is there, but not at the level Leverkusen want.

So all signs currently point to Andrich staying. The 31-year-old, with his experience and reliability, suddenly becomes even more important in a midfield that has lost its brightest new talent before he could even kick a ball for the club.

From 2. Bundesliga breakout to Bundesliga doubt

Eichhorn’s rise over the past year has been sharp. At Hertha BSC in the 2. Bundesliga, he fought his way into the starting XI and stayed there, establishing himself as a regular despite interruptions from an ankle injury and a suspension following a red card. His blend of maturity, technique and aggression in midfield quickly pushed him beyond the confines of Germany’s second tier.

Scouts from across Europe followed. Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain – the list of admirers read like a who’s who of the European elite. For a teenager, the spotlight was intense, the competition for his signature even more so.

Leverkusen won that race. They paid nine million euros to bring him in, a significant investment for a 17-year-old and a clear statement about how highly they rated him. The plan was obvious: integrate him carefully, give him minutes, and let his talent explode in a side already brimming with young quality.

Now that plan is on hold.

A talent paused, not lost

The club will not rush him. Nor can they. A metabolic illness is not a muscle strain or a twisted ankle; it is a complex, delicate issue that demands patience and precision. The priority is his health, not his debut.

For Leverkusen, the frustration is real. They had secured one of Europe’s most coveted young midfielders. They had a roadmap for his development. Instead, they must rewrite their first-half-of-the-season script, reshaping their midfield around those who are fit and available while one of their biggest prospects battles a condition far more serious than any tactical problem.

For Eichhorn, the story is different, and far more personal. At 17, he has already climbed quickly through the ranks, handled pressure, and drawn interest from giants. Now he faces a challenge that cannot be dribbled past or pressed into a mistake. It has to be treated, endured, and overcome.

When he will finally pull on a Leverkusen shirt in a competitive match is, for now, completely open. The only certainty is that when he does return, the expectations – and the questions – will be waiting.