Every cloud has a silver lining and as Rangers reportedly have a bid rejected for Bayern talent Malik Tillman, the thought of £5m being freed up in the transfer budget is a more exciting prospect than a demoralising one.
Whilst it would be nice to sign the 20-year-old USA international, a player of clear talent and someone the 11-in-a-row Bundesliga champions rate highly, a failed move for the kid isn’t exactly a disaster.
The financial benefits of exercising the now seemingly defunct £5m (€6m) option-to-buy on Malik Tillman were clear; this is a young, match winning talent who is only going to get better.
In the Rangers team too Malik Tillman showed flashes of leadership – see the Champions League Playoff victory – and it would’ve been something to build on next season.
But whilst his 12 goals and Young Player of the Year awards were nice, there were times when an inexperienced Malik Tillman flattered to deceive and Rangers might lament such a sizeable chunk of the transfer budget going out on someone who, whether you’re all in on the youngster or not, is far from the finished product.
Talk of failed Malik Tillman bid brings Rangers opportunity
Rangers need instant results and as Premier League clubs reportedly muse over what to them would represent a less risky bid for Malik Tillman, the Gers have a squad to revamp and Michael Beale has a team to reassemble ahead of next season.
Anything but success on the domestic front, and valiance on the continental, will surely see the scowling frustrations of a Rangers support starved of consistent success get louder and more direct.
Those who’ve adorned our jersey as of late, some even in their final goodbyes, have failed to justify the immense support which comes with it and this Rangers board and management must fix up a squad worthy of the obsessive legions who sing for it.
Talk of 2012, the journey, 55 and the Europa League Final must be binned ahead of the new campaign, from every section of the club. Soundbites and hot air about catching Celtic must follow it.
The time for talking is done at Rangers and delivering success is the only thing that now matters for a support who’ve been let down over the last 24 months from the dressing room, to the boardroom, to the transfer market.
In the world of Scottish football, £5m is not an insignificant amount of money and if Malik Tillman is not in a place to take up the mantle at Rangers amid talk of a failed bid, then it’s time we get excited about who potentially is.
