Reijnders on the Verge of Leaving City After Just One Year?
The Dutch midfielder, teammate of Kovačić and Gvardiol, could continue his career in Saudi Arabia, with City already eyeing a Chelsea replacement.
The Dutch midfielder, teammate of Kovačić and Gvardiol, could continue his career in Saudi Arabia, with City already eyeing a Chelsea replacement.
Tijjani Reijnders (28) could leave Manchester City after just one season. The Dutch midfielder arrived from Milan last summer for €55 million, but according to 24sata and Goal.com, Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah is in advanced negotiations with the English club, with a €60 million offer on the table.
Reijnders arrived at City with high expectations, with fans seeing him as a potential successor to Kevin De Bruyne. After the FIFA Club World Cup, he hit a rich scoring vein, netting four of his five league goals in a single month. He finished the season with 50 appearances across all competitions, seven goals, and eight assists, but his playing time plummeted after February. In the last 15 league matches, he started only two and didn't even come off the bench in nine of them.
The drop in the pecking order coincided with the departure of Pep Guardiola, who left the City bench after ten years. Guardiola preferred established figures like Rodri and Bernardo Silva in the heart of midfield, with Nico González also ahead of the Dutchman in the rotation. Reijnders relayed Guardiola's dressing-room words to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf: "It's his choice. He told us he no longer has the energy to disappoint the lads when they're not in the squad or not playing. After ten years, enough is enough. I understand that too." The Dutchman also described Guardiola as "a very intense coach and a football genius."
The arrival of new boss Enzo Maresca, a former Guardiola assistant, hasn't changed things. According to media reports, Reijnders isn't in Maresca's long-term plans. Juventus, Milan, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Atlético Madrid, and Galatasaray have all shown interest, with Nottingham Forest reportedly ready to offer €64 million.
Former City financial adviser Stefan Borson warned that Italian clubs are "tight-fisted" and would likely only offer a loan with an option to buy, which wouldn't guarantee City a return on their investment. A sale of Reijnders would also benefit Milan, who have a sell-on clause.
However, the most concrete offer appears to have come from Saudi Arabia. Fabrizio Romano reported that Al-Qadsiah and Manchester City are close to an agreement, but the player's consent is crucial. Reijnders is still weighing whether a move to the desert is the right step at the peak of his career.
While the Reijnders saga unfolds, Manchester City is already working on strengthening their midfield. According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the club wants to bring in Enzo Fernández from Chelsea, with Maresca knowing him well from their time together in London. Chelsea, however, are demanding €140 million for the Argentine, while City are reportedly willing to pay €100 million.
City have already brought in Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest this summer, with transfer fees varying by source: Goal.com cites over €130 million in one article and €135 million in another. Alongside Anderson, the midfield competition includes Matheus Nunes, Nico González, Mateo Kovačić, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden, and Claudio Echeverri, while the future of Rodri, linked with Barcelona, remains uncertain.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea has set a Friday evening deadline for interested clubs, including Manchester City and Real Madrid, to meet their €140 million asking price for Fernández.
