MALIK TILLMAN made himself a Rangers hero as he headed home the crucial winner against Union Saint-Gilloise in Champions League qualifying on Tuesday.
The on-loan Bayern man powered home ten minutes from time to make him an instant fans favourite - but had things been different he could've been lining up for CELTIC.
The United States international was recommended to Hoops' Euro scouts before his made his temporary move to Ibrox - with Rangers holding an exclusive option to buy.
But instead of pursuing a move, Celtic scouts seemed more interested in Filip Bilbija who moved to Hamburg.
German football expert and former Inglostadt and Hertha Berlin coach Mark Fotheringham revealed: “Tillman’s a brilliant talent.
“I’ve known about him for a while. When I was at Ingolstadt I recommended we took him from Bayern Munich on loan.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t get anything done. He would’ve been fantastic for Ingolstadt.
“Now I just wish he was at Celtic. I know their European scout and bumped into him last year at a Greuther Furth game — and I told him all about Tillman."
Former Celtic youngster Fotheringham had urged Parkhead chiefs to sign the player blind and heard the club were interested but nothing came of it.
He told The Scottish Sun: “I actually said, ‘Mate, sign him blind. Trust me, he’s a great player who’d be perfect for Celtic’.
“I don’t know what happened afterwards, whether he passed on my comments to the first-team management or made up his own mind on the boy. It doesn’t matter now.
“He actually said, ‘Yeah, we like him’. But I’m disappointed nothing happened."
