Recent USMNT debutant Malik Tillman has joined the blue side of Glasgow’s Old Firm, departing FC Bayern to spend the upcoming season with Rangers FC.
The Scottish club confirmed the deal on their website, stating “Rangers Football Club are today delighted to announce the signing of Malik Tillman on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich, with an exclusive option to buy subject to international clearance.”
Media reports have additionally indicated that the exclusive purchase option held by Rangers will include a future buy-back clause for FC Bayern, should they opt to bring Tillman back to the Allianz Arena in later years.
The Gers are coming off of a mixed season where they ultimately fell in their quest for a second straight title, however did emerge winners of the Scottish Cup and reach the final of the Europa League, where they lost to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Despite having already been capped twice by the USMNT on the senior level, the 20 year-old Tillman is hardly a proven commodity in club play, having only made four Bundesliga appearances for parent club FC Bayern, and an additional three between the DFB Pokal and Champions League.
He joins fellow on-loan American James Sands at the club, who moved to Glasgow in the January transfer window until the end of the upcoming season, from MLS club New York City FC. Tillman is the latest in a long line of Yanks to have played for the legendary team, with USMNT legends Claudio Reyna and DaMarcus Beasley having been two of the more notable and successful Americans in Glasgow.
The team is still in its pre-season program, and will start their 2022-23 Scottish Premiership program on July 30 with a visit to Livingston. Before then, they still have a pair of warm-up friendlies against English Premier League competition, facing West Ham United on July 19 and Tottenham four days later.
