Aston Villa have reportedly gained the upper hand in the race to sign PSV Eindhoven’s USA international Malik Tillman, as the midfielder reveals his preference for a move to the Premier League club over rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, both Villa and Spurs have expressed interest in signing the 22-year-old, with concrete enquiries being made about a potential transfer in the upcoming January window. However, Tillman is said to be focused on a Premier League move, although a winter switch remains unlikely due to the timing of his release clause, which will only become active at the end of the season.
Tillman has a reported release clause between €30 million and €40 million, but Villa’s advantage lies in the fact that Bayern Munich, who hold a buy-back option on the player, currently have no plans to exercise it. This provides Villa with a clearer path to securing the American international’s signature, as Bayern would have the right to match any offer made for Tillman, but have shown no interest in bringing him back.
After joining PSV permanently in the summer from Bayern Munich for a fee of £12 million following a successful loan spell, Tillman has enjoyed an impressive season with the Eredivisie leaders, contributing 8 goals and 4 assists. His form has helped PSV maintain a 7-point lead at the top of the Dutch league, and with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the versatile midfielder is eager to continue playing regularly at the highest level.
Having begun his career at Bayern, Tillman struggled to break into the first team, making only seven appearances before spending a successful loan spell at Rangers in 2022/23, where he scored 12 goals and provided 5 assists. Despite interest from Rangers to make his move permanent, Bayern’s reluctance to sell led to a £1 million compensation and a 10% sell-on fee in the deal with PSV.
With Tillman contracted to PSV until 2028, his long-term future appears bright, but his desire to take the next step in his career could see him make a move to the Premier League sooner rather than later. Aston Villa now seem to be in pole position to secure his signature, with a potential move in the summer of 2024 a real possibility.
