Bayern Munich prospect Timothy Tillman will switch to the United States after playing for Germany youth teams, U.S. under-20 coach Tab Ramos has told Goal.
Tillman, 19, last played for Germany's under-19 team in European Championship qualifiers in October, but rather than rejoin them in March, he will join up with the U.S. under-20s instead.
"He told me he's ready to go and ready to join us and I'm excited to have him in the group because we haven't had him in before," Ramos told Goal.
Born in Germany to a U.S. serviceman, Tillman will need to file a one-time switch with FIFA in order to play for the U.S. ahead of the 2019 Under-20 World Cup.
Tillman plays for Bayern's reserves but has appeared with the first team in a smattering of preseason friendlies including the Audi Cup.
After playing from Germany's youth international teams since the under-15 level, he moved to Bayern from SpVgg Greuther Furth for €500,000 in 2015.
Furth president Helmut Hack said at the time: "Timothy Tillman is the biggest talent we have had for 30 years. His departure is a catastrophe for our club."
Last year, Bayern president Uli Hoeness personally vetoed Tillman's potential move to Barcelona, his agent told Sport Bild.
The news will come as a welcome boost to U.S. Soccer, which recently lost out on another highly rated teenager, Jonathan Gonzalez, who switched to Mexico after playing for U.S. youth teams.
Tillman's younger brother, Malik, has already played for the U.S. under-15 team.
ESPN FC's Germany correspondent Mark Lovell contributed to this report.
