Andoni Iraola wants Malik Tillman, apparently

With the transfer market rapidly heating up alongside the ongoing World Cup knockout rounds, the rumour mill is cranking up to full speed.

F365 reports that head coach Andoni Iraola has personally requested the signing of Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Malik Tillman.

The 24-year-old USA international only moved to Leverkusen from PSV Eindhoven last summer in a £30m deal, but his standout performances on the global stage have drawn attention from further afield.

Iraola is eager to inject dynamic attacking spark into his new Liverpool setup, especially as the high-profile departures of the old guard are leaving holes to fill in the first team squad.

While Leverkusen are reluctant to part with the playmaker so soon, insiders suggest a bid exceeding £43m could test the Bundesliga club’s resolve in the coming weeks.

However, with all attention on the World Cup, football journos have been known to become lazy, linking good players they’ve just watched with clubs they think are on the look out for new signings. The hit rate isn’t great, so take it all with a large pinch of salt.