Tillmann moves to Leverkusen for 35 million: Wirtz successor found!

Tillmann moves to Leverkusen for 35 million: Wirtz successor found!

A transfer that revitalizes the football landscape: Malik Tillman is moving from PSV Eindhoven to Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The transfer fee of 35 million euros not only reflects the 26-year-old's potential, but also the high expectations of the Leverkusen team, who see him as the ideal successor to Florian Wirtz, who recently moved to Liverpool for up to 140 million euros. Loud Absolutely football Tillman is viewed as a player who can lead the game in the attacking midfield.

Tillman, who was born in Nuremberg in 1999, went through FC Bayern Munich's youth academy. His time at Bayern began in 2015 and culminated in a move to the professionals in 2021. However, he was unable to establish himself there permanently and was first loaned out to Glasgow Rangers and later to PSV Eindhoven. They initially loaned him out in 2023, but acquired him after a strong season with 33 goals, which helped defend the two Eredivisie titles in 2023/24 and 2024/25. Tillman has now signed a five-year contract in Leverkusen Bundesliga.com reported.

The challenge in Leverkusen

The challenge for the newcomer could be enormous. If Tillman does not live up to expectations, it will not only raise questions about the promotion of young talent at FC Bayern, but could also affect the player's self-confidence. Despite these risks, Leverkusen's sporting director Simon Rolfes says Tillman has excellent skills and versatility in midfield and he hopes the player can successfully follow this path. The coming months will be crucial in watching Tillman's adaptation and development in the Bundesliga.

Investing in young talent has been a hot topic in Europe for years. More and more clubs are attaching great importance to their own youth development in order not only to train players, but also to sell them profitably, as shown by a study by the CIES Football Observatory. Only 18 Bayern Munich players are active in the five major European leagues - a sign that there is a need for effective young players in Munich too. Bayer Leverkusen itself ranks in the middle of this ranking with 16 players (four inside the club and twelve outside), which shows that talented players like Tillman are important not only for the present but also for the future of the club.

A new chapter in Tillman's career

Tillman has gained valuable experience in recent seasons, both in the Bundesliga and the Eredivisie. He was able to draw attention to himself in his seven appearances for Bayern, even if it was never enough for a permanent role in the first team. However, his time at Glasgow and in Eindhoven left an impression on him. With 23 international matches and three goals for the USA, he has also made a name for himself internationally and is now looking forward to taking the next step in Leverkusen.

It remains to be seen how Tillman will fare in his new surroundings, but his ambitions are clear: he wants to win titles! A match for Leverkusen to prove themselves again in one of the most exciting leagues in the world.