Jorg Albertz loves the idea of Malik Tillman’s loan fling with Rangers blossoming into a long-term relationship.
Der Hammer, who patrolled the Rangers midfield in the latter half of the nineties, has welcomed the bulletin from Michael Beale that his former club have opened talks with Bayern Munich over a permanent deal for the American international.
And he believes the clubs can cosy up to create a mutually beneficial plan for all parties, even if the perennial Bundesliga champions don’t wish to cut ties entirely with Tillman this summer.
Albertz suspects that new Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel would only be doing his job by intervening on discussions already taking place.
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A mere glance at Tillman’s current form – six goals in six games – and the boundless potential he possesses might make Tuchel less keen to wave him off.
Rangers have an exclusive arrangement to purchase, for a reported fee of £6 million, but
it’s understood Bayern own a buyback clause as part of any arrangement making the switch to Glasgow permanent.
Albertz, a huge Rangers fan favourite for five seasons after signing from Hamburg in 1996, said: “There are many things you can do to make it work.
“I’d love to see Tillman go to Ibrox permanently and Munich can maybe have an option to get him back.
“We’re talking about a 20-year-old. He can develop, improve at Rangers, he can play in Europe.
“Munich can keep an eye on him and then, if they want, use the option to get him back.
“He’s done really well for Rangers and, as a young boy, my club see him as a great talent for the future. It’s no surprise to me that they’re trying to buy him. It’s hopefully going to be a great signing for the club.
“Whether Munich is prepared to do that, I don’t know. They might be very happy at interest from Rangers, considering all the superstars they’ve already got.
“But they’ve a new manager who’ll want a look at the boy to decide for himself.
“These are talks that must be going on in Munich if there’s an offer from Rangers. Tuchel has only just had his first game against Dortmund.
“As a manager, I wouldn’t just accept this before I’d seen the boy.
He wouldn’t be doing his homework by letting Malik go instead of taking a look, figuring out if he’s a boy he wants for the future and talking to him.
“So it could be an awkward situation at the moment. Maybe Malik wants to go to Rangers, though, and he communicates that.
“Then maybe Bayern don’t want a player around the squad who doesn’t want to be there.”
Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos and David Alaba are among those to have been nursed through the Bayern II ranks, benefited from a loan then gone on to world superstar status via the first team at Munich.
Each of their loans were to fellow German clubs, however, so Rangers getting creative with this deal and taking a Bayern ace to Scotland is new territory.
Albertz, who also played for Fortuna Dusseldorf and Borussia Monchengladbach, believes playing 39 times already this season as brought Tillman on a ton.
Further improvement of at least another season performing in the unique pressures of Old Firm football could lead to Tillman being worth fortunes in years to come.
“I think joining Rangers has already been absolutely fantastic for him,” noted Albertz. “Now I think a permanent move would be ideal for the boy.
“The last thing he should want to do after tasting a year at Rangers and playing so much is go back to the sidelines.
“If they don’t accept the deal and he goes back to Munich, it’s potentially sad for the boy if he doesn’t get much football. I think looking after what’s best for him is important.
“To go to Rangers and play so much already, it’s exactly the development he needs at his age.
“The figures flying around in football now are incredible. I’d say for a 20-year-old who can get much better in the future, £5m-£6m is hopefully a good investment for Rangers.
“If you get a player at this age, what’s he worth if he keeps performing well and scoring goals in three years’ time? Double, three or four times that?
“From that point of view, it probably isn’t a big risk Rangers are taking here.”
After his double against Dundee United, Tillman boasts a goal tally of 12 for the season.
He has routinely been a difference-maker in the final third for Rangers yet endured criticism for easing off the accelerator at times.
That languid approach leaves him open to the accusation that he doesn’t offer the work rate necessary for several tests faced by Rangers, including this Saturday’s trip to Celtic Park.
Albertz believes Tillman has the tools to add to all the natural, obvious ability as he matures into a Rangers player for all seasons.
Albertz said: “Okay, he’s probably not been so consistent over the whole season. But that’s understandable. It may be his age. Perhaps in a year we’re talking about how sharp he looks all the time.
“If he brings success to Rangers that’s the most important thing. If he only makes three runs in the game and scores three goals then fine if we win 3-0!
“Right now he’s on fire, he’s got confidence, he’s an outstanding player. But he needs to grow up as well and get this consistency.
“That what you get when you play many games and he’s hopefully got all that in front of him at Rangers.”
