Bild: Brighton Offered €45 Million for Tillman Before Deadline, but Leverkusen Value Player More Than Money

According to Bild, Brighton made an offer of around €45 million for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Malik Tillman one day before the summer transfer window closed, but Leverkusen ultimately rejected the sale of the 24-year-old United States international.

The report states that Leverkusen's decision was not based solely on financial considerations. The club believes that in new coach Carles Martinez's plans, Tillman's value is greater than the immediate profit from selling him, so they chose to keep him.

Tillman joined Leverkusen from PSV Eindhoven in July 2025 for around €35 million. In the previous season, he scored 21 goals in 34 appearances across all competitions for PSV and was one of Europe's most highly regarded attacking midfielders at the time.

However, his first season after joining Leverkusen did not meet expectations. In the 2025-26 Bundesliga season, Tillman made 29 appearances and scored 6 goals, while across all competitions he recorded 8 goals and 1 assist in 44 matches. Leverkusen eventually finished sixth in the Bundesliga and missed out on the Champions League.

Tillman had previously publicly admitted that last season was one of the worst-performing seasons of his career. He said: "So far, what I have shown is not my true ability. Last season was the worst season I have played in my career."

He also mentioned former coach Kasper Hjulmand and the issue of club support: "It was related to the coach's trust and the support the club gave me, and those were exactly the things I had been missing before."

Now, Hjulmand has left his position and Carles Martinez has taken charge of the team. Martinez previously coached Toulouse for three seasons and also worked within Barcelona's La Masia youth system. He has emphasized his desire to build a team with intensity, passion, and precision.

After the World Cup ended, Tillman returned to Leverkusen and began training under Martinez. He also made it clear that he wants to understand the new coach's ideas before deciding on his future. "I want to first understand the coach and his plans."

Leverkusen's rejection of Brighton's offer means Martinez will continue to use the United States midfielder. Tillman can provide physical presence, technical ability, attacking runs, and the ability to operate between midfield and the forward line.