Tijjani Reijnders transfer: Man City complete £46.3m deal to sign midfielder from AC Milan on five-year contract
Manchester City sign Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan in a £46.3m deal; the Netherlands international has signed a five-year deal at City; the 26-year-old had the most goals and assists of any midfielder in Serie A last season
Manchester City have completed the £46.3m signing of midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan.
The 26-year-old has signed a five-year deal at the club.
Reijnders is a Netherlands international who had the most goals and assists of any midfielder in Serie A last season.
He was a bright spark in a disappointing season for Milan, who only finished eighth in Serie A, missing out on qualification for Europe.
Reijnders, who joined the Italian giants from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2023, scored 15 goals in all competitions last season and will bolster Pep Guardiola’s midfield options following the departure of Kevin De Bruyne.
Reijnders could be key part of Man City rebuilt midfield
There is a revealing tale about Tijjani Reijnders. Barcelona wanted to sign him, but he opted for AC Milan instead. In the aftermath of the decision, it was said – by Reijnders and others – that he had been seduced by the tradition of the Dutch masters in Milan.
There was some truth to it. A keen student of the game, Reijnders was following in the footsteps of Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten at the San Siro. But it was not mere romance. He had noted that Barcelona did not have a clear plan for him.
Tactically, he wanted to know what the idea was, how they envisaged him fitting into the system. Milan sold that vision more clearly. That story feels pertinent as Reijnders prepares for a move to the Premier League as part of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City rebuild.
Fortunately for player and club, it is obvious that Reijnders has qualities that City missed this past season. He is a good fit with his composure on the ball as a passer and a ball carrier but his off-the-ball running also brings a dynamism that has been lacking.
Over the past two seasons in Italy, the Netherlands international, now 26, has bolstered his reputation and was recently named as Serie A’s midfielder of the year. City will be a step up but there are those who believe he can help make a difference for Guardiola.
The former Manchester City defender Michel Vonk coached Reijnders at age-group level when he was developing his game in Alkmaar at AZ. Speaking to Sky Sports, Vonk talks of a “technical, creative player who can play the key pass and scores goals” – ideal.
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