Manchester City has officially confirmed the sale of Tijjani Reijnders to Saudi club Al-Qadsiah, and Croatian international Mateo Kovacic could be the biggest beneficiary of the major reshuffle in midfield.
Manchester City officially confirmed on Wednesday the sale of Dutch international Tijjani Reijnders to Saudi club Al-Qadsiah. The 28-year-old midfielder has signed a five-year contract with the Saudi Arabian club, keeping him there until 2031.
Al-Qadsiah is backed by the state-owned oil company Aramco, and the team is managed by Brendan Rodgers, the former manager of Liverpool, Celtic, and Leicester. Reijnders joined Manchester City in 2025 from AC Milan and spent just over a year at the Etihad Stadium.
This is the second major outgoing transfer for City in a short period, following Rodri's recent move to Barcelona. According to Morocco WN, Reijnders was sold for around $70 million, while Sportklub reports a figure of €61 million. Sources differ in their valuation of the transfer, likely due to different currencies and calculation methodologies.
The biggest beneficiary of these outgoing transfers could be Mateo Kovacic. In recent seasons, the Croatian player has had a fluctuating role at the Citizens, but with Rodri and Reijnders gone, he has become one of the few who can play as a central midfielder.
Alongside the expensive Elliot Anderson, who arrived from Nottingham Forest for £116 million, the only other player remaining in contention for that position is Spaniard Nico Gonzalez. Coach Enzo Maresca will likely address the lack of depth in midfield by using full-backs, O'Reilly, and Nunes, who are capable of performing duties in the middle of the park.
Manchester City is reportedly interested in Argentine Enzo Fernandez, but it seems the Citizens are not willing to pay over €140 million, the staggering price set by Chelsea. Also on the radar is 18-year-old Moroccan international Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille.
If City does not bring in a new midfielder before the end of the transfer window, it is highly likely that Kovacic will have a key role in the first season after a long period under Pep Guardiola. This claim is supported by the fact that the Croatian footballer started the match against Arsenal in the Community Shield, where City lost 0-3. Kovacic spent 79 minutes on the pitch and was replaced by the 24-year-old Gonzalez.
According to reports, Reijnders arrived at City for approximately £46.5 million and now leaves for around £52 million. The sale of the Dutchman gives the Citizens significant funds to continue their activity in the market as the club builds a new team under Enzo Maresca.
