Premier League duo join Malik Tillman transfer battle as Rangers suffer blow with £5m price tag to rise

Rangers could be dealt a major blow in their pursuit to sign loan star Malik Tillman on a permanent basis - with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich confident they could hold out for more than £5million for the attacking midfielder this summer.

The 21-year-old PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year made a significant impact during his time in Govan before returning to the Allianz Arena last month, with a decision on his long-term future still up in the air.

The Ibrox club have first refusal on striking a deal with the German giants for the playmaker after an option-to-buy clause was inserted into the initial loan deal last summer but Bayern officials are reportedly hopeful of attaining a higher transfer fee for him.

Should Tillman decide he doesn’t want a return to Ibrox, other interested parties will be lying in wait to snap up the USA international who scored 12 goals during his temporary stint with the Light Blues.

According to the Daily Mail, Rangers boss Michael Beale faces stiff competition in his bid to secure the player’s services from English Premier League duo Brighton and Brentford who are both said to be keeping a close eye on his situation. Brighton are able to offer Tillman European football after they qualifyied for the Euroa League first time in their history courtesy of a sixth-placed finish last season, while Thomas Frank’s Bees also finished in the top-half of the table are are continuing to impress as a top-flight side.

Beale revealed discussions over a possible deal were still ongoing with Tillman’s representatives after expressing his desire to keep him earlier this year. He told Sky Sports last month: “It is all still ongoing in the background as well. Me and Malik are in a great place on a personal level. He’s been brilliant for the club and I think brillian for me in my time there.

“He’s a player I think has a really high ceiling - as high as anyone I’ve worked with in my time at Rangers. There are areas of his game that he certainly has to brush up on but that’s why he’s come on loan.”