Rangers manager Michael Beale has made it clear that he wants the club to sign Malik Tillman on a permanent basis next summer.

The American international is on loan from Bayern Munich until the end of the season and he has been in excellent form, racking up three goals and two assists since domestic football resumed after the World Cup. He scored in the 3-0 win over Hearts midweek and, when asked about the attacking midfielder’s situation, Beale said it is down to the Gers and Bayern to thrash out a deal:

“There’s a fee agreed. Everything is in place. You get the season out of the way then you sit down and talk to everybody and try and get it done. If it was on my decision and Rangers’ decision we would have him here for the long term. He’s a player that we like and a boy that’s settled in really well at our club. At 20 years old he’s got a really exciting future. [It’s] not so much [up to Malik]. I think it’s up to the two clubs.”

As Beale mentions, the Light Blues do have an option to buy Tillman, with reports in the German media suggesting a £6m fee has been agreed.

That is a sizeable figure and it’s clear that Beale is putting some pressure on the Rangers’ board to come up with the funds to secure the 20-year-old’s signature beyond the summer. It remains to be seen if he gets his way.