Malik Tillman did Celtic a massive favour with his matchwinning performance against Shakhtar – but it might not be the final say he gets in their European campaign.
That’s because he could be running out against them for Aston Villa on January 29, if the transfer rumour mill is to be believed. Tillman‘s PSV were trailing 2-0 to Shakhtar in a result that would have left Celtic’s spot in the top 24 looking more precarious than it is. But he struck twice, including an incredible long-range effort to equalise, before fellow American Ricardo Pepi won it deep in stoppage time.
That result widened the gap between Celtic and the bottom eight to four points – meaning the teams chasing now need two results to catch the Hoops. It means that one win in their final three matches will almost certainly do them in their hunt for a playoff spot. And they’ll be hoping to pick up that crucial win against either Dinamo Zagreb or Young Boys before they travel to Villa Park for their final game.
In a curious twist of fate, it may well be that they find themselves going out against Tillman in that one. The former Rangers loanee, their young player of the season on loan from Bayern Munich in 2022/23, has been linked with a move there in January and those have caught fire on social media over the last few days. So much so that former Premier League keeper Paul Robinson was asked about it on Football Insider. He said: “They’ve got a very, very good scouting network. Tillman’s a good player. We’re seeing a lot this season of players that play well in the Champions League, two or three games. Then all of a sudden, because of the social media, because of the press, they’re immediately linked with moves to the Premier League.
“Is he as good as what Villa have got? Is he going to take him on to the next level? I’m not sure he is. If he plays at another level with better players he’ll get better as well. He’s one to watch.”
He wouldn’t come cheap if he was to make the move. Former Ajax star Kenneth Perez even floated a fee of £120m if he keeps up his stunning form having scored eight and assisted four in 20 games this season. He’s unlikely to cost that much in January, with a £30m fee floated elsewhere, but don’t let that quell the wishful thinking!
Perez told Dit was het Weekend: “Arne Slot always says at Feyenoord that his players must first learn to work hard and apply pressure. If Tillman also learns that at PSV, then they have really made a good move. That £12 million will soon become £120 million. I really thought he was great, especially in the second part of the season, in everything actually. Even in defending, which he has become very good at. He’s the best player at the club and there is much more to come from him.”