Folarin Balogun is not the only American to have some late transfer drama in the English top flight. Bild reports that Brighton & Hove Albion submitted a €45m bid for USMNT star Malik Tillman before the window closed on Monday.
The bid was ultimately rejected by Tillman's club, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, as they believe he is worth more than that price tag. He was signed from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven last summer for a fee of €35m, and after a couple of dazzling World Cup goals, it is reasonable to agree that his value has increased.
What does another season in Germany mean for Tillman?
Last season, Tillman scored a modest eight goals in 42 appearances for Leverkusen last season. After the Erik ten Hag experiment failed, Kasper Hjulmand carried out the rest of Leverkusen's season, but neither was able to capitalize on the midfielder's ability. Now, under new manager Carles Martínez, Tillman is looking to regain his form.
Tillman has started both matches so far this campaign, and while he's still looking for his first goal, it might come sooner rather than later. Last season, Martínez's leading scorer at Toulouse was his attacking midfielder, Yann Gboho, so Tillman could see plenty of goal opportunities in this system.
Leverkusen finished sixth in the Bundesliga last season, meaning they will play in the UEFA Europa League after reaching the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 in each of the past two seasons. Perhaps the drop in competition will allow Tillman even more chances to capitalize.
How does this affect his transfer future?
It is a good sign that Tillman is receiving interest from Premier League clubs after a down season, especially one like Brighton who has become well-known for their scouting. Another promising sign is that Leverkusen was unwilling to sell him for the €45m fee. It would have eclipsed Tillman's transfer to Germany as the second-highest fee ever paid for an American, only behind Christian Pulisic's move to Chelsea for €64m.
The deal never got beyond the club stages, so it is unclear whether or not Tillman would have been open to the move himself. But it is hard to imagine he would pass up the opportunity to join the most competitive league in the world. He will be a name to keep an eye on during the January window, in addition to being a core member of the USMNT moving forward.
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