Jorg Albertz reckons Rangers and Malik Tillman are a match made in blue heaven.
Manager Michael Beale has revealed Gers are in talks over Tillman’s permanent signing. And Ibrox legend Der Hammer would love his former club and Bayern Munich to push a £5 million deal over the line. Albertz believes loan ace Tillman’s game has come on a ton for playing 39 games already this season.
He’s desperate to see that improvement continue in Glasgow and believes Tillman could be worth fortunes to Rangers in years to come. It all adds up to a dynamite deal for both player and club and Albertz hopes the transfer can be smoothed through. But he suspects new Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel will want a say with Tillman so highly rated and in sensational form. It’s understood Bayern own a buyback clause as part of any deal making the loan arrangement permanent.
“There are many things you can do to make it work,” said Albertz. “I’d love to see Tillman go to Ibrox permanently and Munich can maybe have an option to get him back.
“We’re talking about a 20-year-old. He can develop, improve at Rangers, he can play in Europe. Munich can have an eye on him and then, if they want, can use the option.
“He’s done really well for Rangers and, as a young boy, my club see him as a great talent for the future. It’s no surprise to me they’re trying to buy him from Bayern. It’s hopefully going to be a great signing for the club.
“I really think joining Rangers has been absolutely fantastic for the boy. Now a permanent move would be ideal. Whether Munich is prepared to do that, I don’t know. They might be very happy at the interest from Rangers, considering all the superstars they’ve already got.
“But there’s a new manager there who’ll want a look to decide myself. These are talks that must be going on in Munich if there’s an offer from Rangers. Tuchel has only just had his first game against Dortmund. As a manager, I wouldn’t just accept this before I’ve seen the boy myself.
“I wouldn’t be doing my homework by letting Malik go instead of taking a look, figuring out if he’s a boy I want for the future and talking to him personally. So it could be an awkward situation at the moment.
"Maybe Malik wants to go to Rangers, though, and he communicates that. Then you don’t want a player in your own squad who doesn’t want to be there.”
Albertz hopes Tillman sampling a season at Ibrox is more than enough to persuade him to make Glasgow home - just like he did for five years after moving from Hamburg in 1996. Tillman has struck a dozen goals from attacking midfield, with six of them coming in his last six matches.
“The last thing he’d want to do after tasting a year at Rangers is go back to the sidelines at Bayern,” Albertz stressed. “If they don’t accept the deal and he goes back to Munich, it’s potentially sad for the boy if he doesn’t get much football.
“To go to Rangers and play 39 times already, it’s exactly the development he needs at his age. The figures flying around in football now are incredible. I’d say for a 20-year-old who can get much better in the future, £5m is hopefully a good investment for Rangers.
“If you get a player at this age, what’s he worth if he keeps performing well and scoring goals in three years time? Double, three or four times that? From that point of view, it probably isn’t a big risk Rangers are taking here.”
Despite Tillman’s obvious impact in the final third, he’s been criticised for taking it easy at times. That languid style isn’t often a good look in the cut and thrust of the Scottish top flight.
But fans favourite Albertz reckons such rough edges around the USA international are being smoothed out now. Albertz said: “Okay, he’s probably not been so consistent over the whole season. But that’s understandable.
“It may be his age and, perhaps in a year, we’re talking about how sharp he looks all the time. But if he’s bringing success to Rangers that’s the most important thing. If he only makes three runs in the game and scores three goals and we win 3-0, then fine!
“He’s got six goals in the last six games and strikers would be happy with that, never mind an attacking midfielder. Even if his form does drops down a bit here and there, he’s been getting on the pitch.
“So all the time he’s getting older, wiser, more experienced, scoring goals for Rangers and, most times, performing well. Right now he’s on fire, he’s got confidence, he’s an outstanding player.
"But he needs to grow up as well and get this consistency. That’s what you get when you play many games. He’s got all that in front of him at Rangers.”
Tillman lasted only an hour back in September in a baptism of fire in the Old Firm fixture. Rangers were thrashed 4-0 at Celtic Park under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
They also suffered a harrowing 3-0 defeat at Parkhead in February of last year. Gers return to the east end with Beale for the first time on Saturday for one last, desperate throw of the title dice.
Albertz said: “Rangers have been beaten the last couple of times there and not performed so well. I want to see them get out there, perform for the club and play for the jersey. If you have players not motivated to do their best in this game then there’s something wrong.”
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