Malik Tillman’s time at Bayern Munich was something of a rollercoaster. From being signed merely to facilitate a signing of older brother Timothy to a quick ascension through the youth ranks, from winning the 3. Liga to suffering a devastating anterior cruciate ligament injury, his time in Munich was filled with twists and turns. The nature of his exit, however, was one last twist that Tillman did not expect.
Bayern Munich had loaned the American international out to PSV, inserting a €12 million buy option as well as an option to cancel the loan for a lower fee. In the end, the Bavarian giants decided to not to exercise the latter option, allowing PSV to seal the permanent transfer of Tillman. Speaking in a recent interview, the recent Champions League MOTM for the Eredivisie champions against Girona expressed his surprise at the decision:
“It honestly surprised me that they did not [use the option to cancel the loan]. After all, we had multiple positive discussions with Bayern representatives, Tillman mused, as captured by @iMiaSanMia_GER. “But in the end they decided against it.”
But he could not muster any anger at this snub in the face of the gratitude he has for the club: “I have a lot to thank Bayern for. I was allowed to stay 8 years at the club and learn a lot. It was there that my first steps into professional football were made possible, as well as unbelievable and unforgettable experiences.”
In fact, Tillman maintains that an eventual return remains a dream of his. Asked about reports that Bayern still has a buy option in the region of €35 million for him, he had this to say: “I cannot comment on any numbers, that is not important for me. But I won’t make a secret of this: A return to Bayern remains a dream for me and a big goal to reach.”
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