Latest news with #Tillman
Glasgow Times
5 hours ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Ex-Rangers star Tillman's Bundesliga move 'at final stages'
The American, who spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Ibrox, scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 43 appearances. Tillman joined PSV Eindhoven from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, initially on loan. Read more: The move was made permanent, and after winning two Eredivisie titles, Tillman now looks set to join Bayer Leverkusen for a fee believed to be around €35-40 million, according to renowned transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. 🚨🔴⚫️ Bayer Leverkusen are now at final stages of Malik Tillman deal with details to be sorted.. and then, all done. Bayer are confident to get deal done for fee around €35/40m. Structure of the agreement now being discussed. — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 28, 2025 Tillman achieved a career-high 16 goals for PSV last term, including three in six Champions League appearances.
The National
6 hours ago
- Business
- The National
Tillman's Bundesliga move 'at final stages' as Rangers await windfall
The American spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Ibrox, scoring 12 goals and assisting five across 43 appearances in all competitions. Tillman's move to Rangers was never made permanent, and in the summer of 2023, he joined PSV Eindhoven, initially on loan, from Bayern Munich. Read more: The switch was made long-term last summer, and a year on, after winning back-to-back Eredivisie titles, Tillman looks set to join Bayer Leverkusen. Renowned transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reports that the 23-year-old's move to the BayArena, said to be in the region of €35-40 million, is 'at the final stages'. 🚨🔴⚫️ Bayer Leverkusen are now at final stages of Malik Tillman deal with details to be sorted.. and then, all done. Bayer are confident to get deal done for fee around €35/40m. Structure of the agreement now being discussed. — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 28, 2025 Rangers received £1.2m after Tillman's £12m move to PSV last summer. They would be due another 10 per cent of any fee paid for his services this time around, due to the deal struck when Bayern chose to end his Ibrox loan early to send him to the Eredivisie. Tillman won PFA Scotland's Young Player of the Year award in his sole season at Ibrox. He netted a career-high 16 goals for PSV last term, including three in six Champions League appearances.
USA Today
16 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Bears All-Quarter Century Team: Cornerbacks
Twenty-five years of Chicago Bears football are in the books since the turn of the century. Since the calendar turned over to 2000, the Bears have seen some success, but also plenty of woeful stretches. Early on, Chicago became a defensive force, claiming four division titles and reaching only their second Super Bowl in franchise history from 2000 to 2010. Since then, however, a 14-year playoff victory drought that is still ongoing and a one-sided fight with their rival Green Bay Packers have taken the spotlight. For all the ups and downs the Bears have seen, however, they had plenty of talent over the years across offense and defense. Multiple former Bears players are already in the Hall of Fame, while many more provided years of incredible play in the navy and orange. Here at Bears Wire, we're celebrating the best Bears players at each position over the last 25 years. Next up is cornerback, a group that has featured plenty of ballhawks—and a player who changed the game with forcing fumbles. Charles Tillman We may never see another cornerback quite like Charles "Peanut" Tillman. The lengthy physical defensive back burst onto the scene during his rookie season with the Bears in 2003 when he ripped the ball out of Randy Moss's hands in the end zone to secure a victory, and he became an integral member of Lovie Smith's defense. Tillman ranks third all-time for Bears career interception leaders with 36 and proved to be a great cover corner, having legendary battles with the likes of Calvin Johnson and Jordy Nelson throughout his career. But it was his knack for forcing fumbles that gave him national recognition. Tillman's 44 career forced fumbles are tied for sixth all-time in NFL history, but he's the only defensive back inside the top 10. "The Peanut Punch" became a staple in the 2010s for Tillman's ability to force fumbles on ball carriers. For his efforts, Tillman earned a pair of Pro Bowl honors in 2011 and 2012, as well as being named First-Team All-Pro for his league-leading 10 forced fumbles in 2012. Going against Tillman was difficult in itself for wide receivers, but then they had to watch out if they actually caught the ball. He's one of the most underrated defensive backs in league history and rightfully sits atop the position group for the Bears. Jaylon Johnson Jaylon Johnson has come a long way since his first NFL game when he got trucked by Marvin Jones Jr. The 2020 second-round pick has slowly but surely developed into one of the NFL's best cornerbacks, thanks to his elite cover skills. Johnson may not have the gaudy interception totals like some of his peers, but he's a problem for opposing quarterbacks. So much so that they opt to avoid him altogether. After a solid few seasons in the league, Johnson broke out in 2023, becoming the highest-graded cornerback of the season according to PFF. He allowed an opposing quarterback rating of just 50.9, according to Pro Football Reference, and he nabbed four interceptions. Johnson made his first Pro Bowl that season and was named Second-Team All-Pro. He maintained expectations in 2024 as well, despite a tumultuous season from the team around him. At 26 years old, Johnson is in the prime of his career and has a chance to become the Bears' best cornerback of the 21st century when his career is complete. Kyle Fuller It's easy to forget how wild Kyle Fuller's career was for the Bears. He looked like the heir apparent to Tillman during his rookie season when he shined on the national stage and then was on the verge of becoming a bust in 2016 when he missed the entire season and fell out of favor with Vic Fangio. It took some time, but Fuller found his footing and became a sensational ballhawk beginning in 2017. Despite entering the year as a backup, Fuller became a starter again thanks to injury and didn't let it go. He totaled 22 pass breakups and finally looked like the first-round pick the team invested in three years earlier. Fuller peaked in 2018 with seven interceptions and 21 pass breakups, which led the league, during the Bears' division title run, culminating in a Pro Bowl nod and being named First-Team All-Pro. Fuller took chances playing off the ball and had a knack for jumping routes at the perfect time. It was risky, but he came out on top more often than not. Fuller earned another Pro Bowl trip in 2019 and had a solid end to his Bears career in 2020. It took some time, but Fuller lived up to his potential in the end. Tim Jennings Near the end of the Lovie Smith era, the Bears were in need of a quality cornerback to start opposite Tillman. Nathan Vasher struggled with injuries, and Zackary Bowman was a flash in the pan. The solution was to sign Tim Jennings as a free agent in 2010, and it didn't take him long to become the starter the Bears needed. Jennings helped improve the Bears' run defense early in his tenure and took advantage of the targets that came his way in the passing game when teams were avoiding Tillman. In 2012, Jennings led the league with nine interceptions while also finishing with 21 pass breakups. He earned Pro Bowl honors that season and was named Second-Team All-Pro, finishing just behind Tillman. His strong play continued in 2013, despite the Bears changing regimes and hiring a new defensive staff. Jennings totaled four interceptions and 13 pass breakups. He even scored two defensive touchdowns, which led the league for a defensive player. Despite being undersized at 5'8", Jennings was a productive outside cornerback who played bigger than his frame. Honorable mention: Nathan Vasher
Fox Sports
a day ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Gold Cup roundtable: Should the U.S. fear Canada or Mexico more?
Next up for the U.S. men's national team is a CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals clash against Costa Rica on Sunday (7 p.m. ET on FOX). To recap their group stage. A 5-0 drubbing of Trinidad & Tobago, followed by 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia (an invited team to the tournament) and then an entertaining 2-1 victory over Haiti. Those aren't the biggest brand-name wins, but that's okay. The way the U.S. entered the tournament amid drama of which players are here (and who isn't), any positive momentum for coach Mauricio Pochettino and his crew was welcome. So, which players have made the most of it with the 2026 World Cup next summer? Can the U.S. finish this Gold Cup as winners? Here's what stood out from the group stage of the Gold Cup and what's for this weekend's quarterfinals. Which USMNT player has made the best case for a World Cup spot? McIntyre: Malik Tillman, without a doubt. Three years after almost making the 2022 World Cup roster as a 20-year-old, Tillman began 2025 as a coin flip for next summer. But with three goals in three games at this Gold Cup, he's staking a claim for a starting spot at main event — even when regulars like Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah return. The silky attacker seems well-suited to occupy a central playmaking role between Pulisic and Weah — the job Gio Reyna has at times filled for the U.S. Tillman's emergence this month is more bad news for Reyna, who didn't play in either of Borussia Dortmund's first two matches at the FIFA Club World Cup. But it's great for Tillman and the USMNT. Litman: Outside of Tillman, I would say Sebastian Berhalter has raised his profile. He was especially noticeable against Saudi Arabia, where he won most of his one-on-one battles and stood up for Tyler Adams when he was pushed to the ground. Berhalter has been extra impressive when it comes to set pieces, too, offering a perfect ball on Chris Richards' goal in that same match. Set pieces have been a thorn in the USMNT's side. In the past, Christian Pulisic has taken them – the overall service was suboptimal and the Americans didn't capitalize enough. Berhalter, meanwhile, offers this critical skill set that will be important for Mauricio Pochettino to take into consideration when he's mulling over roster selection for the 2026 World Cup. Who has been the biggest surprise at this Gold Cup? McIntyre: It has to be Panama's Ismael Diaz. Díaz scored five goals in the group stage, leapfrogging Tillman and into the top spot in the Golden Boot race with his hat trick against Jamaica on Tuesday. I know he also scored a hat trick in the 2023 Gold Cup, but his production so far is still a surprise. Litman: It was surprising to see Jamaica eliminated in the group stage. The Reggae Boyz went 1-2 in the group stage to skid to a third-place finish in Group C. They were surprisingly upset by Guatemala 1-0 in their first match (after beating that same squad 3-0 the week prior) and were crushed by Panama 4-1 in the third match to seal their fate. Mexico and Canada: What has stood out from the biggest rivals? McIntyre: I don't think either has looked invincible, or even all that good, at this Gold Cup. El Tri struggled to beat the Dominican Republic and settled for a scoreless tie with a banged up and shorthanded Costa Rican side (though add my name to the list of people who think Santi Gimenez's late golazo should've counted). Meantime, Les Rouges have been wholly unconvincing since their tourney-opening thumping of Honduras. Canada couldn't beat Curaçao in their second match, and they couldn't score in Tuesday's group finale until El Salvador had been reduced to nine men. They're also missing their best player in captain Alphonso Davies — and maybe some swagger because of it. Litman: I'll take Canada. From the controversy around manager Jesse Marsch which resulted in a two-game suspension, to the team tying Curaçao and only beating El Salvador 2-0 when they were down two men doesn't give good feelings that this is a team who has what it takes to win it all. If they're not careful, Canada could be ousted by Guatemala in the quarters this weekend. True or False: Will the U.S. win the Gold Cup? McIntyre: False. I think the U.S gets past Los Ticos and advances to Wednesday's semifinal against either Canada or Guatemala. Beating Canada won't be easy, though not impossible, assuming they prevail as expected. But beating Canada and then either Panama or especially Mexico, who'd take the field for the finale in front of a sea of green shirts in Houston on July 6, might be a little bit beyond a U.S. squad that is missing more than a dozen of its top players. Can it happen? Sure. It did in 2021. This group, like that one, is tight off the field and has been building momentum on it. If they play their hearts out, play together and get a bounce or two, they can win this thing. I just wouldn't bet on it. Litman: True. The USMNT should beat Costa Rica in the quarterfinal and advance to the semi, where it would face the winner of Canada-Guatemala. If it's Canada, the U.S. has an opportunity for Nations League revenge. And if this motley crew of an American squad can come together and do that, they would have the momentum to potentially take on a quality Mexico squad in the final. Playing El Tri in front of what would likely be a pro-Mexico crowd in Houston will be challenging, but that's the kind of test the team needs a year before the World Cup. Plus, wouldn't it be quite the story if the USMNT came together after all the pre-tournament drama and raised the Gold Cup trophy? Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ ByDougMcIntyre . Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman . recommended Get more from FIFA Men's World Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
NBC Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
2025 Gold Cup quarterfinal predictions: Should USMNT be on upset alert?
There are significant underdogs in all four Gold Cup quarterfinals this weekend, and the USMNT is definitely not the longest shot to be upset at this stage of the tournament. The Yanks are the third-heaviest favorite between Panama, Mexico, and Canada, thanks to the toughest draw of the round: Costa Rica, led by longtime Mexican boss Miguel Herrera. MORE — USMNT's Tillman, Cardoso, Agyemang linked with new European homes Los Ticos barely missed out on winning their group, drawing Mexico in their Group A finale in a result that let El Tri snag first place on a single goal of goal differential. Will there be an upset in this round? Saudi Arabia would normally look like an opponent capable of surprising a favored side, but Mexico is a tough draw for the Saudis. Upsets have been subjective in the last few Gold Cups. Jamaica beat group-winning Guatemala at the 2023 edition, but most would've ticketed the Reggae Boyz as favorites. Canada beat Costa Rica in 2011, but the Canadians were a second-place team in a tough group with the USMNT. This year, almost every upset would feel like an upset. Let's see if we select an underdog. Panama vs Honduras prediction Kickoff: 7:15pm ET Saturday Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona Prediction: Panama won all three of their group stage games, two of them decisively including a 4-1 win over Jamaica that saw Los Canaleros succeed despite a huge possession disadvantage. Honduras rebounded by a 6-0 clobbering by Mexico to win their second and third matches. This won't be a blowout, as Honduras will know the plan that saw them score an upset win over Mexico in recent memory. But Panama will prevail. Panama 2-1 Honduras Mexico vs Saudi Arabia prediction Kickoff: 10:15pm ET Saturday Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona Prediction: It's difficult to do this, but do it — forget the fact that the Saudis beat Argentina at the 2024 World Cup. If you're not willing to forget that result, which was three years ago, think of it as the first match of a 2W-9L-1D run that included losses to Oman and Bolivia. Arizona is going to be a veritable home atmosphere for El Tri, who would be favored on a neutral ground, and the Saudis are missing their Al-Hilal representation (12 different Al-Hilal players have been called up in the next 12 months). This would be a stunner if it didn't go the way of Javier Aguirre's El Tri. Mexico 2-0 Saudi Arabia. Canada vs Guatemala prediction Kickoff: 4pm ET Sunday Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota Prediction: The Canadians are unpredictable, and you might even go far as to call them chaos agents under Jesse Marsch. Guatemala have earned their surprise place in the quarterfinal but it doesn't feel like their squad has a Cinderella run in store. Canada have too much attacking presence to lose at this stage. Canada 1-0 Guatemala USMNT vs Costa Rica prediction Kickoff: 7pm ET Sunday Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota Prediction: The Yanks are due for a scare, and Costa Rica are their toughest foe since the friendly losses to Turkiye and Switzerland. Keylor Navas was solid in a 0-0 draw against Mexico, but Los Ticos back line is not what it's been in the past. Costa Rica's Manfred Ugalde is a player but the U.S. has the most dangerous playmaker in Malik Tillman. Herrera's tournament nous is a wild card here, but Pochettino has looked more and more comfortable with both his Best XI and this tournament. Should the USMNT be on upset alert? Only if they are not alert. The Yanks have shown entitlement in the past but seem to have been properly awakened by the chastening loss to Switzerland. Ultimately, the USMNT depth in midfield and relative strength at center back — speaking in CONCACAF terms — should be enough for a place in the semifinal round. USMNT 2-1 Costa Rica.
