How ambitious USA talent could bank Rangers £5.7m despite slipping through Ibrox fingers
Yesterday at 03:30 PM
Malik Tillman is the proverbial one that got away for many Rangers fans.
The PSV Eindhoven attacking midfielder, 22, spent a season on loan at Ibrox between 22/23 and might've wound up at Rangers permanently had things gone differently.
Ross Wilson was praised by ex-Bayern directors for his role in striking a creative deal which protected Rangers' interests when it came to the young American's development.
And now Rangers could be about to receive yet another dividend as Malik Tillman discusses the prospect of a 'dream' return to Bayern Munich.
Rangers have already banked £2.2m on Malik Tillman
Malik Tillman enjoyed a fruitful if not disappointing season on loan at Rangers, where the attacker helped the club qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 12 years.
Rangers held a £5m purchase option on the attacking midfielder which the club would activate at the end of the season.
But, as explained by then Rangers manager Michael Beale, Bayern would then 'hit a number straight back' as part of a pre-agreed buyback clause.
It's believed Rangers pocketed around £1m from the entire arrangement.
Bayern would then send Malik Tillman on loan to PSV, where he helped knock Rangers out of the Champions League qualifiers, with an option to buy for £12m.
When PSV activated this in the summer, Rangers earned a cool £1.2m from the deal, or 10% of the transfer fee.
Bayern 'dream' would see another Rangers payday
On top of the £2.2m Rangers have already banked from helping to develop Malik Tillman, an extra payday may yet be on the horizon.
That's because Bayern have inserted a quite remarkable £35m buyback fee into the deal which brought Tillman to the Netherlands.
Should Bayern go on to activate the transfer, then according to the Rangers Review the Ibrox side will be due another 10% of any deal, or £3.5m, bringing the entire amount recouped to £5.7m.
It comes with Tillman admitting that it is his 'dream to return to Bayern Munich one day.
Although Rangers may have to wait on any Tillman payday – the US international insists he's happy at PSV Eindhoven and won't move in this transfer window.
"When I was at Bayern Munich, they told me that they had confidence in my qualities on the ball, but that it had to be more aggressive," said Tillman.
"That I had to fight for every ball even more often, win even more duels and second balls and win back more lost balls.
“I was told it wasn’t possible for me to play in their first team yet. But it is my dream to return to Bayern in the future. Although I know they already have great players.
“I grew up in Bavaria, where my mother and quite a few people who have followed me for years live. Many people know about the clauses in my contract at PSV.
"But I have no intention of leaving PSV in this transfer window anyway. The club suits me.”
