Rangers boss Michael Beale has provided some clarity on how Bayern Munich got around an Ibrox option-to-buy for PSV loanee Malik Tillman.
Despite strong Ibrox interest, Bayern Munich reportedly compensated the Gers after ripping up an option-to-buy from last season following a successful Tillman loan move in Glasgow.
The USA international, 21, is a highly-rated young Bundesliga talent and Rangers had reportedly written a £5m option into a loan contract signed last summer.
But as interest in Malik Tillman grew around Europe, it became clear that this was a serious undervaluation for the player despite Michael Beale’s insistence he wanted to sign the kid for Rangers.
There was substantial confusion around the reports with the usual suspects raising eyebrows and a genuine lack of clarity over the situation.
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But speaking ahead of the Champions League Playoff clash with PSV Eindhoven, where Rangers will face Malik Tillman following a loan move to the Netherlands this summer, Michael Beale explained the situation.
“Two things on (Malik Tillman),” Michael Beale said ahead of the Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven.
“The agreement was in place before I came in terms of how it was structured and we stuck to our side of the agreement.
“Quite frustratingly for us, Bayern Munich stuck to their side and did the buyback that they had.
“But Malik knows that outside of the games against Rangers that he’s got our full support.
“He was fantastic for us, I spoke to him a lot over the summer, he’s just back from a long-term injury and I think it’s a good move for him.
“So we wish him well outside of these games obviously.”
Michael Beale explains Malik Tillman Rangers collapse
This means that Rangers upheld their side of the agreement and – much to the club’s frustration – so did Bayern Munich who essentially bought the player back immediately.
A buyback clause was widely reported at the time of the signing and from a Rangers point of view, whilst the club missed out on Tillman, they made a tidy profit from the loan.
Pressed on the situation on Malik Tillman further, Michael Beale went on to explain in slightly more detail and also wish the PSV loanee all the best this season, outwith the games against Rangers.
“He’s a fantastic young player,” Beale said.
“I don’t want to go too far into it but the agreement was a number that we had to hit and Bayern could hit a number straight back and they did that.
“He’s their player, that’s their prerogative, so in a way it shows the value that Bayern have on him. They’ve only loaned him out again this year.
“Malik’s got a lot of clubs who like him in football. There were a lot of clubs who called me to ask reference on young Malik.
“He’s coming back from a difficult injury and after these two games we wish him well.”
Malik Tillman also signed a new contract with Bayern prior to moving on loan to PSV Eindhoven with the deal said to include a more suitable £13m option-to-buy.