Malik Tillman completes Leverkusen move - Second most expensive USMNT player in history

Done Deal 

Bayer Leverkusen confirmed their replacement for Florian Wirtz on Saturday. For a few weeks now,  US men’s national team star Malik Tillman had been linked with a move to the former Bundesliga champions and it was soon confirmed by the German club, with an announcement stating that the former Bayern Munich prospect had signed a five-year deal following a transfer fee of €35 million. 

The 23-year-old playmaker is a product of the Bayern academy and joined PSV on a permanent deal worth €12m after a previous loan. That deal also includes an exit clause. The validity of the exit clause was, however, questioned by the Eredivisie side. According to a report by VI, Eindhoven believed that only Bayern Munich were able to trigger the clause in 2025. Bayern Munich included a matching right when they sold Tillman to PSV last summer. Leverkusen and the player believed that any club could trigger the exit clause from a specific date forward. PSV denied this, and the transfer threatened to become a matter for the courts. However, all parties have now reached an agreement. Altogether, the package of the deal is worth €40m. 

Second biggest fee for USMNT player – Tillman joins Leverkusen

Now completed, Tillman becomes the second most expensive USMNT player in history. The current transfer record is held by Christian Pulisic, who joined Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth €64m in the 2018/19 season (overview). Why are Leverkusen willing to break the bank on Tillman? The playmaker managed to score 16 goals and five assists in 24 games and increased his market value to €32m. That makes him the third most valuable player in the Dutch Eredivisie. A player on the ascendency, Leverkusen hope that Tillman can fill the gap left by Wirtz. It's a tall ask, but Tillman certainly has the potential to become a top player in the Bundesliga.