Michael Beale admits it’s down to loan Ranger Malik Tillman to decide if he’ll be back at Ibrox.
The Bayern Munich kid has returned to his parent club in Germany and won’t kick another ball for Gers this season after being injured in last week’s Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic. Rangers have an “exclusive option” to buy the talented US international but will have to cough up a fee in the region of £5million to seal the deal.
Beale insists Tillman was “extremely happy” in Glasgow but concedes the youngster now faces a major call on whether to make his move permanent. He said: "Unfortunately that is the end of Malik's season. He has got a hamstring injury, he has gone back to Bayern for them to have a look at him. He's had his scan. It’s a hugely sad ending to the season for him because he is obviously a fine young player and he has performed well for the club this season.
"That (talk of permanent deal) is all still on-going in the background as well. Me and Malik are in a great place on a personal level.
“He’s a player I think has a really high ceiling - as high as anyone I’ve worked with in my time here at Rangers. There’s areas of his game that at 20 years old he certainly has to brush up on but that’s why he’s come on loan.
“We said we’d park the conversation until the middle of May because there’s a lot around it. We want to get to the end of the season.
“And Malik has got a say in this as well. Obviously the two clubs have been talking back and forth and there’s agreements between them.
“But the most important person is Malik. If Malik wants to be here in Glasgow then it’s something we can make happen. Likewise if he’s unsure…
“We’d said we’d park the conversation until the middle of May and nothing has changed on that.”
Tillman’s talent has lit up a gloomy campaign for Rangers at times but the failure to make an impact in the Light Blues’ disastrous Champions League campaign or the five Old Firm clashes he started but failed to finish has raised doubts in some supporters. There’s a considerable section of the Ibrox fanbase now reckon the £5million required to bring him back could be better spent elsewhere.
Asked if he was worth the money Bayern are demanding, the Gers gaffer said: “Well, that money in the rest of football is pocket-change for someone of his talent. In Scotland, it’s not.
“The biggest thing with any player is do they want to be there? Are they really motivated to be there? Because then you get the best of them.
“And I don’t think if you’re a young 20-year-old coming over from Germany for your first loan you can really know and summarise everything until the end of the season. So it’s not the case that I’ve been putting a gun to his head in January, February or March.
“I think the right thing is to get to where you’re going at the end of the season and to concentrate on his football until then.”
He added: “I think the fact we expect a 20-year-old to dominate those games probably shows what we think he’s capable of. And I think what we’re seeing is a 20-year-old who probably had a step to go and a maturity to come. And that’s fine. I think Malik is going to go on to have a wonderful career.”
Gers return to action against Aberdeen tomorrow and Beale hinted there could be a place in his line-up for Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent. Record Sport columnist Barry Ferguson this week called on Beale to send the contract rebels packing after their “disinterested” Hampden display and instead focus on the players who’ll be here next season.
But the Ibrox manager said: “Of course they [have a part to play]. They’ve been two fantastic players for the club. Both have represented the club very well.
"We haven't come forward with a contract offer for either, both have been free to speak to other clubs for a while now.
"But in terms of the next five games they are Rangers players and they will continue to be so until anything is announced officially."
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