Former Rangers loanee Malik Tillman is rapidly emerging into a PSV Eindhoven star with one former Eredivisie boss likening the American to the legendary Juan Roman Riquelme.
As Malik Tillman bamboozled Sergio Ramos – leaving one of the 21st century’s most iconic centre-halves in a spin as he danced his way to a penalty in Tuesday’s Champions League thriller between PSV and Sevilla – it was difficult to ignore the feeling that this was a real ‘welcome to the big time’ moment for a player who has been threatening to do just that for quite a while now.
Tillman was outstanding at times during a loan spell at Rangers in 2022/23.
And the early signs suggest that the USA international could yet take his game to a whole new level in the Netherlands, producing a Riquelme-esque piece of defence-debilitating dexterity just days after scoring and assisting in an Eredivisie triumph over FC Volendam.
Former Rangers ace Malik Tillman shining at PSV
“I didn’t know he could play football so well,” ex-Ajax and PSV boss Aad De Mos tells Goedemorgen Eredivisie. “His velvet control reminded me of Riquelme.
“He is a phenomenon. A fantastic player to watch if you are a fan,” De Mos adds, via Eindhoven Dagblad. “If you unexpectedly end up in the Champions League and the opponent starts playing attacking football, then you have a weapon with Tillman… unbelievable.
“Tillman can bring the ball down, no one controls them down like that in the entire Eredivisie. I was completely impressed. I think he is a great player to watch.”
Shining in the Champions League
Tillman scored 12 goals and set up five more for Rangers last term, most of those coming under the now-sacked Mick Beale. The Gers did have an option-to-buy clause in Tillman’s contract but – as explained by the manager who brought him to Glasgow in the first place – Bayern Munich were quick to cancel that arrangement when it became apparent that they could earn far more by selling the Nurenberg-born playmaker to another, more well-heeled club.
“(Tillman) did a great job for us last year,” Giovanni van Bronckhorst tells RTL. “He gave an assist against PSV and scored important goals against Union Saint-Gilloise (in the Champions League play-offs).
“He’s strong on the ball and also with his work ethic. He also reads the game and he has good dribbling ability.
“I do think Rangers wanted to buy him, but Bayern Munich bought off the option to buy that Rangers had. That’s why he is now at PSV.”
