A perfect 10

The decision highlights the faith that is being placed in Tillman ahead of the 2025/26 season, where the former Bayern Munich man will attempt to replicate the form he showed with his previous club, PSV Eindhoven.

He scored 16 goals in 35 games in all competitions in 2024/25 as the Dutch giants picked up a second consecutive Eredivisie title, subsequently putting his name on the radar of a host of European clubs.

"I know who had the number 10 jersey before me; for me it's a massive honour," said the USA international.

To mark the occasion, Leverkusen have decided to offer free Tillman shirt printing up to and including 31 July when buying a new jersey at the Bayer 04 online shop or Fanwelt.

"I know what the number 10 means in football and I will give my all to fill that role as best as I can,” the 23-year-old continued, in quotes on Leverkusen's official website. “But I'm also confident and sure that I can perform and show the people here what I can do. I'm very much looking forward to the new season!"

After Leverkusen won the race for Tillman's signature, he’ll not only follow in the footsteps of Wirtz by wearing the number 10, but also the likes of household names such as Julian Brandt, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Emre Can, as well as former fan favourite Renato Augusto.

What separates Tillman from those names is his place in the history books as a result of receiving the special shirt, as he’ll become the first American to have worn the two digits on his back at Bayer 04!

Watch: The Bundesliga's best Americans

He also becomes just the seventh American to have donned the black and red of the Werkself, with Claudio Reyna, Landon Donovan and the Bundesliga’s all-time top American goalscorer, Thomas Dooley, being among those names.

Dooley’s record-making tally stands at 20 goals, and will likely be the next bit of history in Tillman’s sights as he and a new-look Leverkusen side cast their focus on Bundesliga success in the 2025/26 campaign.