Richard Hughes wants deal for £60m American to lead midfield rebuild

This summer Liverpool are prepared to begin a midfield rebuild.

The Reds have been relying on the same cast of midfield characters for the last couple of seasons.

And Arne Slot is getting diminishing returns from certain players - including Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch who have been beneath their best this season.

Curtis Jones meanwhile is uncertain to continue as a Liverpool player beyond summer considering his contract expires in 2027 and no agreement has yet been reached over a new deal.

It all adds up to Liverpool requiring midfielders this summer and sporting director Richard Hughes has now been linked with a deal for a 23-year-old USA international.

Liverpool get serious about Malik Tillman

Malik Tillman is enjoying a fine season with Bayer Leverkusen since completing his £30m deal from PSV last summer. Now the attacking midfielder is a serious target for the Premier League champions according to a new report in Sports Boom.

With a contract until 2030 it could cost the Anfield side around £60m to wrap up a deal for the German-born schemer.

“Malik Tillman is emerging as one of world football’s most talked-about young stars, and Liverpool are circling with serious intent,” the report reads.

“Tillman put pen to paper on a long-term deal until 2030, but that hasn’t stopped Liverpool from plotting an ambitious summer swoop as they look to rebuild following a frustrating season in the quest to defend their Premier League crown.

“The Reds are ready to test Leverkusen’s resolve with a blockbuster offer in the region of £60million, double the £30million figure that had previously been mooted.”

Malik Tillman: Situation summary

Malik Tillman is a 23-year-old USA international attacking midfielder, born in Nuremberg and developed at Bayern Munich’s academy before spells with Rangers and PSV Eindhoven, where he won back-to-back Eredivisie titles and produced standout numbers in goals and assists.

Standing around 6'1, he operates primarily as a roaming No.10 or advanced No.8, combining tight dribbling, creative passing and intelligent movement to attack pockets between the lines, while also posing a consistent goal threat arriving late in the box.

Leverkusen signed him from PSV in July 2025 for a reported club-record fee of about €35 million, handing him a five-year deal running to June 2030 after he hit 16 goals and five assists in 34 games for the Dutch champions.

Given the size of the fee, his age profile and early Bundesliga output, he projects as a medium-term core piece in Leverkusen’s attacking structure, with any exit likely contingent on an elite Premier League or Champions League-level bid rather than short-term rotation concerns.

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