Malik Tillman Rangers transfer scouting: The Bayern Munich wonderkid channelling Paul Pogba

Coupled with Joe Aribo’s departure to Southampton, it leaves Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side short on creative options, with Tom Lawrence’s arrival likely to fill more of a goalscoring requirement than a creative one. Whispers of a potential move for Angers midfielder Angelo Fulgini are set to be extinguished, although Bayern Munich midfielder Malik Tillman has recently emerged as a reported target.

Having grown up in Germany, the 20-year-old joined the Bayern Munich youth set-up shortly after his 13th birthday, progressing through the ranks before reaching the Under-19 level. From there, Tillman scored prolifically as a forward and, with his development continuing for Bayern Munich II, he was handed his senior debut by Hansi Flick in the German Cup in the 2020/21 campaign.

Eligible to play for the USA through his father, he was handed his first international call-up in May, making his debut in a 3-0 friendly win over Morocco.

Tillman has been deployed predominantly as an attacking midfielder in recent seasons, although he has been stationed off either wing on occasion, while his time spent as a central striker in his formative years allows him to operate as a No.9. His eye for a pass exists as one of his defining traits, with the German-born midfielder adept at threading passes through opponents' defensive lines for teammates to latch onto.

Tillman is constantly scanning when positioned in dangerous pockets of space between the lines…

…While he is equally as comfortable receiving with his back to goal, fluidly pivoting to clip a deft through pass onto a teammate running in-behind.

These qualities allow Tillman to inject pace into his side’s attacks, while he is also capable of consistently playing one-touch, incisive passes with both the inside and outside of his boot.

Fundamental to the USA international’s creative merits is his ability to weight through passes to teammates. Tillman is comfortable passing into space for forwards to latch onto, while he is equally as confident in cushioning passes into the path of attackers running forward with momentum.

In the example below, space opens up behind Borussia Monchengladbach’s defensive line as Robert Lewandowski makes a run.

However, instead of threading a pass into the space for the Poland international to run onto, Tillman intelligently guides a pass into the forward’s stride on his favoured right foot.

This catches the opposition by surprise, allowing Lewandowski to quickly get the ball out of his feet and unleash a shot at goal.

It is no surprise the youngster has previously likened himself to Paul Pogba, with Tillman’s ability to manipulate the ball with short, sharp actions at odds with his six-foot-one frame.

READ MORE: Rangers' key passing trends: Identifying the origin of creative locations

Indeed, the USA international is physically advanced for his age, with his years as a centre forward in Bayern’s youth ranks equipping him with the necessary robustness to make the leap to first-team football as a teenager.

With that in mind, it protects Rangers from a similar situation to the Amad Diallo loan last season. Although the Manchester United winger had limited time to settle after arriving mid-season, it is fair to argue that his underdeveloped physique undermined his gifted creative qualities on the ball. Tillman’s physicality provides a strong foundation in that regard, affording him greater time in possession.

As he collects the ball in the left half-space, notice how he immediately pushes the ball inside, riding the contact from the defender at his rear.

As he lifts his head, he spots Lewandowski peeling off to the far side. Tillman then intelligently delays his pass, allowing the passing lane to open for the direct through ball…

...Before the Pole fires towards goal.

Tilman prefers to probe with shorter passes in midfield, often foregoing the more direct option in order to combine with his teammates.

This perhaps explains why Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann looked favourably upon the USA international last term, with his side romping to success in the Bundesliga with a brand of football predicated on quick passing combinations. Bayern prioritise central overloads to free their quick, dynamic attackers.

READ MORE: Why Giovanni van Bronckhorst hasn't watched Rangers' Europa League final defeat back - full Q&A

In the example below from the 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League group stages last season, Bayern have five players compacted in the central area ahead of the ball.

As the ball is zipped into the feet of Thomas Muller, Tillman begins his movement off the back of Sergio Busquets on the midfield line.

Muller then lays the ball into the Tillman’s path…

 …Before he releases Leroy Sane in-behind with a first-time through pass.

Michael Feichtenbeiner, former Germany Under-17s coach, waxed lyrical about his capacity to combine in tight spaces, saying: “In general, he's very good on the ball. He can create combinations, chances… He has very good skills to spot the other players.”

These qualities have aided the 20-year-old’s progression to the first team at Bayern, where he is perfectly suited to playing with a higher calibre of player despite experiencing very little senior football.

A regular scorer at Under-21 level with Germany, Tillman’s finishing is also very accomplished. The midfielder’s recognition of space allows him to ‘arrive’ at the optimum moment in dangerous areas.

As opposed to consistently attacking the penalty box, he bides his time outside the danger area.

When the ball breaks to him in the vicinity of the penalty spot, he then has the time and space to lash an accurate finish into the top corner.

These traits often allow Tillman to arrive onto the ball with momentum, granting him added power on his shots.

Finding an attacking midfielder with the surface-level qualities of Tillman and a wealth of experience at first-team level would likely prove beyond Rangers’ financial reach. He offers an enticing trade-off, representing a development project for van Bronckhorst while also filling a creative need following the departure of Joe Aribo.

The arrival of Tom Lawrence should go some way to resolving the absence of goals from midfield at Ibrox, but Ianis Hagi’s continued injury absence leaves the side short of a between-the-lines presence.

Tillman is far from the finished article and there will be understandable question marks surrounding his ability to adapt to regular first-team football, but his skillset should undoubtedly make the transition easier.

His football IQ has typically been on par with his teammates in his brief cameos for the Bayern Munich first-team and, playing in a Rangers side who dominate the ball to a similar extent in a domestic environment, the USA international should eventually land on his feet.