At FC Schalke 04, Jonjoe Kenny was one of the top performers in 2019/20 and a crowd favorite. At Hertha BSC, the now 26-year-old puzzles his coach.

In the 2019/20 Bundesliga season, young Jonjoe Kenny was one of the crowd favorites at Schalke. The former England U21 international was loaned to the Königsblauen for a year by Everton FC and immediately played his way into the hearts of S04 supporters.

And into the starting eleven at a club with Champions League aspirations. He played 31 of 34 Bundesliga games, missing only twice due to injury and once due to a yellow suspension. He attacked the right side of defense with a lot of heart and drive. The unanimous opinion was that he would overcome his deficits in backward movement and his mistakes in passing as he gained experience.

FC Schalke 04 would have loved to keep him, but Everton FC ordered him back to the island. After six months there, during which he was unable to assert himself due to injury problems, he was immediately passed on to Celtic Glasgow.

He returned to Liverpool for the 2021/22 season. A year ago, Hertha BSC signed the U20 World Cup winner on a free transfer. Previously, Schalke fans had also pinned their hopes on a return after the club was promoted again. However, Kenny no longer fit the financial bill.

In the relegation season, Kenny played regularly in the capital team and was set for large parts of the season. After relegation, he actually wanted to leave. FC Augsburg is said to have shown interest, but then refrained from a transfer. Kenny stayed and the now 26-year-old Englishman was to become an important pillar for Hertha BSC on its way back to the Bundesliga.

Kenny currently plays no role under Dardai

But Berlin coach Pal Dardai is apparently not at all satisfied with Kenny. Although he praised his player’s commitment during the preparation, he also criticized the many mistakes in the build-up play. That’s why he preferred returnee Deyovaisio Zeefuik.

After the latter’s injury, Kenny did play at the beginning of the season, but in the meantime Dardai even prefers to let left-back Michal Karbownik play on the right side of defense.

If Kenny, who has a contract until 2025, does not get his act together by the winter break, the two sides could part ways in the coming transfer period. Provided that a buyer can be found. So whether it will come to a reunion with Kenny for the S04 fans on Sunday (13.30 clock) in the away game at Schalke, is rather unlikely.