THERE have been times this season when it has been questioned whether Rangers should sign Malik Tillman on a permanent basis and if it would be a shrewd use of transfer funds to do so.
The debate has shifted, and at present it centres on whether Rangers can afford not to complete a deal that they have first refusal on. The fee - believed to be around the £5million mark - looks more of a shrewd investment, a bargain even, with every week that passes.
The situation falls into the 'no-brainer' category now. If Rangers don't activate their clause and complete a move for Tillman, someone else will and their chance will be gone.
That is, of course, if Bayern Munich decide that he is not quite at their level just yet and are willing to let the 20-year-old move on at the end of a campaign that could prove to be the making of him as a player.
Rangers, as Michael Beale stated in recent days, are 'comfortable' with the number that was agreed when Tillman signed on loan last summer. Conversations between manager and player have focused on football rather than the future and it was stressed again on Saturday, before Tillman spoke after the win over Ross County, that there had been no movement in the situation.
The only change in recent times has been Tillman's approval rating amongst supporters. His goal against the Staggies was his eighth of the campaign and he has become increasingly influential under the guidance and tutelage of Beale since he succeeded Giovanni van Bronckhorst as manager.
Early season doubts over his work rate and readiness for life in a first team environment - especially one as demanding, both on and off the park, as Rangers - were valid. Week by week, performance by performance, Tillman has answered them and his mature, accomplished showing against Hearts last midweek was evidence of his growing stature technically, tactically and mentally.
Bayern have a decision to make come the summer and so will Tillman. Both parties had to agree on his loan destination for this campaign and neither could argue about the way in which it has unfolded for all concerned.
"I came here with just couple of games of professional football before," Tillman said when asked about his improvement in Scotland after setting Rangers on their way to victory with a neat header from a Todd Cantwell cross. "I had to get used to it as well.
"I can still improve a lot. I have improved but, as I said, there is still a lot to come, I think.
"Yeah [the manager has been good for me]. I think the way we play under him is a bit different and it suits me more than before."
Tillman is a softly spoken but pleasant character off the park. He chooses his words carefully and there is a shyness about him that is juxtaposed to the carefree way in which he plays the game as he expresses himself through his neat flicks and turns and carries the burden of creative responsibility within Beale's side.
Beale would like the dial to be turned up a bit at times and for Tillman to have more of the passion and intensity that is associated with the game here but he is a calm, classy figure with the ball at his feet and the tactical switch brought about by a change in the dugout has undoubtedly been beneficial to him.
Time will tell what the future holds for Tillman. His actions speak louder than his words as his continued evolution proves that he is in the right place at the right moment, both for his career and Rangers' fortunes.
"I would say it’s been about the mentality and physicality of Scottish football," Tillman said about the areas of improvement in his game over the last few months. "You do have these demands at Bayern.
"They told me already it was something I was kind of still missing and it’s one point I can still improve on.
"I think it’s a reason why I came here as well, so I can learn from Scottish football and maybe come back and do it better.
"It’s from the way we play, or the way the Scottish league plays. The team helps me a lot.
"Also, the teams we play against, most of them try to make life difficult for us and be as physical as they can to defend their goal and not let us score. That’s one big point I had to get used to at the beginning."
Tillman operated mainly as a striker or second striker coming through the ranks at Bayern. At times under Van Bronckhorst, he found himself playing wide on the right of the forward three and Rangers - with the more dynamic Ryan Kent on the other flank - looked unbalanced during a difficult first half of the campaign.
Beale has used him differently and wisely. He begins from slightly deeper as part of the midfield but has a freedom that allows him to find the pockets of space and play the combinations that unlock packed defences in the Premiership.
On Saturday, he started from the bench as Cantwell was given that role alongside Ryan Jack and John Lundstram. When the Scouser was injured early on, Beale had a decision to make and the choice to go with Tillman over Glen Kamara paid dividends, even if Rangers subsequently didn't have the control that he wished them to have.
Tillman stated that 'the manager made the right choice' afterwards. That was only the case because of the way in which he influenced proceedings, though, and the likely rest against Partick Thistle on Sunday will be more than merited after match-winning contributions at Tynecastle and Ibrox.
"I’m always happy to help the team, obviously," Tillman said. "But the most important thing is the team’s success. I’m glad that I was able to help and that we got three points in both of the games.
"I came here to help the team score goals and assist goals. That’s what I can do, that’s what I like to do.
"It’s just the way I play. I do want to score so it suits the way I want to play and the coach wants the team to play."
There may still be sections of the support who remain to be convinced of Tillman's talent and his potential. However many they number, they are very much in the minority now and his manager and his team-mates certainly appreciate how good he is and how good he can be.
He was serenaded by the away fans at Tynecastle on Wednesday night and cheered on by the Ibrox crowd as the Staggies were beaten thanks to a deflected free-kick from Borna Barisic. The man known in song as Malik has won over the punters that are convinced if you give him the ball he'll score.
"Yeah, it’s always good," Tillman said when asked about his chant - to the tune of 'Magic' - that has become a regular on the repertoire recently. "I have said before that it’s amazing to always have these fans at your back. I appreciate it and I love it.
"When did I first hear the song? I think it was the Motherwell game, the away one, that’s when I first realised it."
