​The 23-year-old had been expected to feature after head coach Stefan Leitl suggested he would start the warm-up clash, but he ended up watching from the stands as Hertha breezed to a 9-0 victory over the fifth-tier opponents. His surprising absence has sparked renewed speculation about a forthcoming move, with Celtic still among the clubs tracking the highly rated goalkeeper. Ernst had previously turned down a switch to Wolfsburg after extensive talks, while Feyenoord are now reportedly leading the chase to sign him. The Berliner Kurier claims Leitl had indicated Ernst would return between the sticks for the clash with Lichtenberg, and the report also notes that interested clubs, including Celtic, are “haggling” over the transfer fee despite Ernst’s €5 million release clause in his contract. Borussia Monchengladbach have also kept their interest alive, viewing the goalkeeper as a potential addition following last season’s Bundesliga campaign.
Celtic had entered the frame last month as they stepped up efforts to replace the retired Kasper Schmeichel, with Ernst emerging as one of the leading options under consideration. The German keeper built his reputation on a series of standout performances in the 2. Bundesliga last season, boasting some of the division’s strongest shot-stopping metrics. Ernst also earned two caps for Germany’s Under-21s during the previous campaign and is now entering his second season as Hertha’s first-choice goalkeeper.
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