Milan, Manchester—and off to the desert: Tijjani Reijnders is moving again this summer, presumably to make room for other players. His year at City was exciting only at the beginning.
Manchester City’s rebuilding under Guardiola’s successor, Enzo Maresca, will take place without Tijjani Reijnders. The 28-year-old Dutch midfielder has joined Al-Qadisiya in Saudi Arabia, which finished fourth in the league last season. This brings the Sky Blues a transfer fee of just over 60 million euros—slightly more than what was paid to AC Milan just a year ago—and likely creates some financial flexibility for potential signings like Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi.
“It was an incredible privilege for me to play for Manchester City, and I enjoyed every minute of my time here to the fullest,” the Dutchman said upon his departure. “Being part of the squad that won two such special trophies last season was an incredible experience and a success I will cherish forever.”
Reijnders Couldn’t Build on Impressive Start
About a year ago, the dynamic right-footed player got off to an impressive start in his first Premier League season, but Reijnders was unable to maintain that form. He scored the last of his five goals shortly after the turn of the year. In total, he appeared in 28 Premier League matches, though his playing time dwindled in the final third of the season, and at times he even sat on the bench for the entire match.
Now, even without Rodri—who is leaving for Barcelona—his career continues elsewhere. And the millions he brings in will provide the financial means to sign a younger replacement under Maresca.