According to a report from the Daily Mail, Manchester City are keen on acquiring the services of Tijjani Reijnders, who has been doing wonders at AC Milan and could cost in excess of £55 million. Pep Guardiola’s team have stepped up their efforts to sign him ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.
Reijnders made a name for himself at AZ Alkmaar before making the switch to Milan in the summer of 2023. He has only gone from strength to strength over the past two seasons while establishing himself as a key figure in their team.
In the 2024/25 season, the Dutch central midfielder has been involved in a total of 54 games and has contributed towards 20 goals (15 goals, 5 assists). Reijnders has been one of the standout performers for the Serie A giants, and his performances have attracted a lot of interest from across Europe. In addition, he was conferred the award for the best midfielder in the league this season.
While Milan fans are protesting against a potential sale of the 26-year-old, the club could still go ahead with it if they receive the right fee. His departure could be a massive blow, but it will give them funds to rebuild their squad after a disappointing campaign.
Tijjani Reijnders prefers playing as a central midfielder, but he can also feature in an attacking role as well as a defensive role. The Dutchman is seen as an ideal fit for Pep Guardiola’s side, who are aiming to add fresh quality to their midfield with Kevin De Bruyne set to leave and Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Mateo Kovacic all on the wrong side of 30.
While Manchester City’s priority was to sign Florian Wirtz, they have missed out on him as he looks set to join Liverpool. As a result, they have turned their attention towards Reijnders and Morgan Gibbs-White. Hugo Viana, who is set to take over as their new director of football has been tasked with getting both these deals over the line.
Manchester City want to add the Dutch international before the Club World Cup next month, and they have already intensified their efforts to get a deal over the line. While £55 million is a sizeable price tag, it could prove to be a bargain in the long run given the quality of the player. Since Reijnders can feature in any role in midfield, Guardiola will certainly love to have the 2024/25 Serie A midfielder of the year in his squad.
