Glasgow Rangers have always relied on the loan market to bolster their first team squad over the years.
In today’s market, spending millions on a variety of players simply isn’t economical, especially when the vast majority of them have been expensive flops (Sam Lammers, for example) that have drained the club’s resources.
This makes a temporary move a much more logical option. Bringing in a player for a season, sometimes with the parent club paying the majority of their wages (Aaron Ramsey) while having an extra body in the squad.
Recently, Philippe Clement brought in Mohamed Diomande and Oscar Cortes on initial loan deals, before securing the pair on permanent contracts.
Sometimes the moves work, sometimes they don’t, but it is no secret that the Ibrox side have had the pleasure of seeing players at the club who have shone during a temporary arrangement and there is nothing worse than catching feelings for a loan star.
Let’s take a look at some of the best over the previous few years.
Rangers finest loan players over the years
Alex McLeish secured the services of Gregory Vignal ahead of the 2004/05 campaign from Liverpool, and he became an important member of the squad that won the League Cup and domestic title. His goal against Celtic at Parkhead won’t be forgotten in a hurry either.
A few years later, Walter Smith signed Steven Davis on a six-month deal. The Northern Irishman scored against Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup before signing permanently at the end of the season, going on to become one of the best players in the club’s recent history.
Fast forward to recent years and the signing of Ryan Kent went down a storm with the fans. The Englishman scored six goals and eight assists, further endearing himself to the supporters by punching Scott Brown during an Old Firm clash.
The likes of Jermain Defoe and Ianis Hagi both starred for the club during their initial loan spells before joining permanently, but the less said about Ramsey’s stint at Ibrox the better.
Abdallah Sima was a major success last season, scoring a total of 16 goals and grabbing two assists, yet a permanent deal couldn’t be worked out during the summer.
One name stands out among the loan stars of recent years and there is certainly some regret at not securing a permanent deal when the chance was there – Malik Tillman.
Malik Tillman’s Rangers stats
Among Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s signings in the summer of 2022 was Tillman, who signed a one-year deal from Bayern Munich.
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Despite his tender years and slight frame, Tillman showcased glimpses of his incredible talent, going on to score 12 goals and register five assists in 43 games across all competitions for the Glasgow side.
Against Motherwell during a tense match in October 2022, Tillman announced himself properly as he took the ball in his own half before powering past a handful of opposition players, eventually slotting the ball into the net, which helped the club secure a vital 2-1 win.
The Gers did have an option to buy Tillman for a fee of around £5.8m from the German giants.
Due to his performances in Scotland, Bayern knew he would attract big money from elsewhere and the purchase agreement was cancelled, with the Bundesliga side paying £1m and 10% of any future sale of the player.
A few months later, Tillman joined PSV Eindhoven on an initial loan deal, before signing permanently over the summer for a reported £12m price tag – a fee that the Light Blues simply wouldn’t be able to afford.
Fast forward to the present day, and the American is one of the best young talents in the world following several excellent performances in the Champions League.
Malik Tillman's soaring value at PSV
The former Rangers loan star certainly lived up to his reputation during his first season in Eindhoven, scoring nine goals and registering 15 assists in all competitions as they won the domestic title while reaching the last 16 of the Champions League.
This was just a precursor of what was to come during the current season, however, as Tillman has taken his game to new heights for the club.
Five goals and an assist in the Eredivisie have boosted PSV’s chances of retaining their domestic crown, but it is in Europe’s premier club competition in which Tillman has produced the goods.
Metric
Eredivisie
Champions League
Goals
5
3
Assists
1
2
Big chances created
6
1
Key passes per game
1.8
3.6
Successful dribbles per game
1.6
1.6
Three goals and two assists for the club have seen them secure eight points from their five matches so far.
During the game against Shakhtar Donetsk recently, PSV won 3-2, but it was thanks to the antics of the 22-year-old that led the Dutch side to victory, with journalist Herculez Gomez lauding his “world-class finish from distance”.
It was certainly a performance that will live long in the memory and these displays have certainly begun to attract plenty of attention from potential suitors.
Indeed, at the end of last season, former Ajax star Kenneth Perez spoke about how good Tillman could turn out, especially with regards to his market value, saying:
“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.”
On this basis, it appears as though Rangers have certainly missed a trick by not trying to secure Tillman on a permanent basis towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
If the £120m-rated American can continue to produce the goods for PSV between now and the end of the season, the Dutch side might be able to make a serious profit on the attacking midfielder next summer.
It is a case of what might have been for the Ibrox side, no doubt about that.
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