Saikat Mandal

Tue 21 February 2023 16:40, UK

Former Rangers player Christian Nerlinger has raved about Gers attacking midfielder Malik Tillman saying he has been following his career for a long time.

The 20-year-old, who joined the Bears on loan from Bayern Munich, has been in superb form under Michael Beale this season, and the club have the option to sign for him around £5 million.

Nerlinger says that Tillman would be a bargain at that price, as he is a “special” player who has got “huge potential”. He feels that the player would be worth way more than £5m in the near future.

“I understand why Rangers are so keen to sign him for that money. If I was at the club, I would be trying to do it as well. This is a player who could be worth a lot more than £5m in the very near future,” said Nerlinger to The Scottish Sun.

“Tillman’s goals and assists are so important. For me, that is what makes an attacking midfielder so valuable. His stats are impressive and there can be no argument against his contribution. Yes, every team needs midfielders who can run, press and pass the ball well. But the top-level players in that area provide goals and assists and Tillman has.

“He provides big moments in games because he has a great attacking instinct when he gets into the key areas. There is a lot more to come from him. When you look at his age, it’s really special to see him offering so much to Rangers. He’s still in the development phase of his career. He’s only 20 and his potential is huge.

“He’s strong technically and physically. From what I hear, he is an intelligent guy and he looks like the type who is always willing to learn. To come over to Scotland and settle the way he has is very impressive. He has made a big impact in a short space of time. There is always a lot of pressure when you play for such a big club, but he has handled it all extremely well.”

Future

Tillman is a fantastic young talent and Beale has suggested already that they have a deal in place to sign him.

However, that is something that the club should look at in the future. Obviously, if Beale thinks that he can be an asset for the club, then Rangers should look to take the transfer gamble.

It is a gamble, in the sense, the amount quoted for him is a big money for the club. He has shown his potential, and could still play a massive role under Beale this season.

Everyone expects that Tillman will fulfill his potential and become a top-class player. Rangers can sell him at a high price in the future for profit, and it’s worth investing in him.

When Tillman first joined under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, he lacked consistency in his game, despite his vast potential. Under Beale, he appears to have reached a new level.

Tillman is facing a race against time to be fit for Sunday’s Viaplay Cup final against Celtic.

In other Rangers news, the club are in line for a multi-million windfall from the Premier League after a £10m Auchenhowie milestone was reached.