25 million for a rising star? BVB is close to pulling off a blockbuster transfer

Kovac Book

BVB are pressing ahead with their squad planning for the coming season. Talks have already taken place with last season's standout rising star.

According to Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, 17-year-old Nathan De Cat will leave RSC Anderlecht this summer and has recently visited several Bundesliga clubs, including Borussia Dortmund.

De Cat is pushing for a swift decision on his next club, according to reports. As well as BVB, he has held talks with RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen about his sporting future. 

FC Bayern have also been repeatedly linked with De Cat in recent months, though HLN claims that move remains a step too far for the versatile central midfielder.

On Thursday evening, signs pointed to his departure from his boyhood club. After Anderlecht's 3-1 win over St. Truiden, De Cat crossed Lotto Park in flip-flops and broke down in tears, seemingly certain that the match would be his last at home for the club.

Anderlecht have accepted his likely exit but are holding out for a fee of at least €25 million, a sizeable sum given his contract runs until 2027.

Kennet Eichhorn

BVB are seeking a new defensive midfielder, and Eichhorn is reportedly high on FC Bayern's radar.

De Cat only broke into Anderlecht's first team during last season's championship play-offs, but he quickly established himself as a regular starter from the outset of this campaign. As the current season draws to a close this weekend, he has clocked up 45 competitive appearances, scoring three goals and providing five assists. 

BVB are known to be searching for a central, defensively minded midfielder, and Hertha BSC's 16-year-old Kennet Eichhorn was their primary target. Sporting director Ole Book and coach Niko Kovac have reportedly already held talks with Eichhorn.

Unlike with De Cat, no major negotiations with Hertha would be necessary in Eichhorn's case, as the teenager can leave the second-tier side via a release clause set at around €10–12 million. However, BVB may now be looking more closely at alternatives, partly due to FC Bayern's continued interest in Eichhorn.

On Friday, Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl reiterated that the champions are monitoring Eichhorn. "If you see Kenny Eichhorn and FC Bayern aren't watching him, then we're not doing our job. Now we have to see if it fits and what his and his management's expectations are. Whether it actually happens is a completely different matter," Eberl told Bild.

BVB prospects Kennet Eichhorn and Nathan De Cat: Performance data and statistics