Andoni Iraola has already signed Victor Nunoz and is seemingly wasting no time to imprint his authority at Liverpool.
According to TEAMtalk, the Spaniard has personally requested the Reds to sign Malik Tillman from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
Midfield reinforcements are tricky for Liverpool as they already have Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch as first-choice options, while Curtis Jones is patiently waiting to nail down a starting spot.
However, that hasn’t deterred Iraola from wanting to sign Tillman, who has shown his class for the USA at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Liverpool to make big move for Malik Tillman
Tillman has quickly become a key player for Mauricio Pochettino, starting three of the USA’s four games at the World Cup so far.
He has also notched up a goal and an assist apiece, proving his class on the grandest stage.
According to the aforementioned report, Iraola has personally requested the Liverpool hierarchy to launch a move for the midfielder, who is expected to cost upwards of £43m.
Bayer Leverkusen are unlikely to agree to a sale, but if Liverpool are willing to pay a large fee, they may well be tempted to part with him.
The report adds: “Liverpool‘s interest in Malik Tillman has a specific name behind it: Andoni Iraola. The manager believes the American fits perfectly into the type of team he wants to build at Anfield.”
“Bayer Leverkusen‘s stance will be key. If Liverpool decides to go all out, the German club will have to weigh up whether it’s worth keeping a player who can continue to develop or accepting a sale that would bring in an immediate profit.”
Tillman an intriguing option
Tillman boasts a superb engine and has played a deeper role for the USA at the World Cup.
However, he is primarily an attacking midfielder and could well be used in a box-to-box role under Iraola for Liverpool.
The Spaniard knows his teammate, Tyler Adams, quite well, having coached him at Bournemouth.
And if Iraola ever wants a reference, he will have the liberty to pick up the phone and ask Adams for his opinion of his compatriot.
That said, Tillman only signed for Leverkusen from PSV Eindhoven for €35m last summer, so the Bundesliga side are expected to drive a hard bargain for him.
Iraola, however, has made his request abundantly clear. And if Liverpool plan to back their new manager, they need to test the waters with an offer after USA’s World Cup campaign ends.
