Michael Beale is getting ready to announce Rangers’ first transfer deal of the season with fans musing over a potential Malik Tillman announcement.
The Ibrox manager claimed after the 3-1 win over Hibernian that the club will confirm a new signing ahead of the clash against Hearts this week.
The final home game of the season, it will be a positive way to sign off what’s been a bitterly disappointing campaign and it has got fans chattering aplenty regarding who the manager might be talking about.
Going further, the Ibrox manager appeared to claim that there are three players in total Rangers are ready to announce, but two will have to wait until the transfer window is open.
“The window doesn’t open just yet so we can’t announce anything but when it opens we’ll be ready to announce one or two,” said Beale.
“One might be announced on Wednesday at Ibrox so there’s another reason for people to maybe come along and see us in midweek.“
Michael Beale sets Malik Tillman Rangers transfer pulses racing
Unsurprisingly, this sort of stuff always gives way to fan speculation and it’s half the fun of the transfer window with Rangers supporters looking at Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell and Malik Tillman in particular.
Rangers have reportedly already struck pre-contract deals with Dujon Sterling and Kieran Dowell, whose seasons are over at Stoke City and Norwich City respectively.
But given their contracts, Sterling at Chelsea and Dowell at Carrow Road, aren’t set to expire for just over a month yet, it’s given rise to some speculation in the Rangers camp regarding who the announcement might be for.
Back in Glasgow this week to collect his Rangers Young Player of the Year award, some Ibrox fans are pointing to a transfer update over Malik Tillman potentially being announced this week.
Rangers have an exclusive option to buy the Bayern loanee, reported to be £5m, and have been very clear they would like to activate it heading into next season, even if the kid is back in Germany following a season-ending injury.
Only last week, the USA international midfielder claimed that he was set to “decide” on his Rangers future after talks with Beale, Bayern and the Ibrox club.
Speaking to Sky Sports after picking up the PFA Scotland Players’ Young Player of the Year award on May 16th, Tillman said:
“I had a great time here and it might not be the end so we will see what’s going to happen in the summer, I don’t know.
“It’s 50-50. It’s up to Rangers, up to Bayern, and up to me so it’s completely open.
“I’m going to speak to Michael Beale in the next couple of days and see what he’s saying, see what Bayern are saying, and then I will decide.”
That would suggest Tillman was making his mind up on a Rangers deal over the last week, and you will forgive Ibrox fans for at least speculating over a potential transfer announcement this week given Beale’s comments.
With Jack Butland another player strongly linked to Rangers, given his status as Man Utd back-up and the fact they’re fighting for a Premier League Champions League spot, we also sincerely doubt it will be the goalie announced at Ibrox on Wednesday.
