Tijjani Reijnders is set to embark on the next chapter of his meteoric rise, this time under the glittering lights of the Premier League with Manchester City.
After two transformative seasons in Italy, the Dutch midfielder will soon swap the red and black of Milan for the sky blue of City in a transfer reportedly worth €70m including bonuses, which means he could become the club’s record sale.
Reijnders arrived at Milan in 2023 for a modest €20.5m fee from AZ Alkmaar as a signing that barely registered on the global radar at the time. But under the club’s post-Tonali midfield rebuild, he became an instant linchpin.
In a volatile environment plagued by coaching instability, player unrest, and fan discontent, Reijnders stood tall as arguably Milan’s most consistent and productive presence.
Over the 2024–25 season, he delivered 20 goal contributions across 54 matches, including 10 goals and five assists in Serie A alone. His output – 0.43 goals per 90 minutes over 3,132 minutes – was extraordinary, particularly given his deeper midfield positioning.
But what truly set Reijnders apart was his ability to control chaos, to bring rhythm and incisiveness even when the system around him faltered.
Statistically, he sits in the 97th percentile for non-penalty goals and the 96th percentile for progressive carries among central midfielders, which is elite company by any measure. These traits are possibly what drew Manchester City’s attention, especially as the club prepares for life beyond Kevin De Bruyne.
Replacing De Bruyne is, in many ways, an impossible task. The Belgian has redefined what it means to be a modern attacking midfielder. But in Reijnders, City have identified a player with the tactical maturity to orchestrate play from deep, while also thriving in advanced areas as a dynamic 8/10 hybrid.
His eye for goal and ability to progress the ball could offer Guardiola a versatile weapon to recalibrate City’s midfield for the next generation.
The timing, however, is striking. Reijnders signed a contract extension earlier this year, committing to Milan until 2030. Set to turn 27 next month, he was widely expected to spend his prime years in Italy. But City’s intent was clear. Time is of the essence, especially with the Club World Cup looming in the foreground.
While some might baulk at the €70m fee, context is key. This is a club that spent €60m on Nico González, €62m on Matheus Nunes, and €49m on Kalvin Phillips. Reijnders’ current form, age, and contract status suggest Milan may be underselling an asset they nurtured into world-class status.
Beyond tactics and economics lies the human angle. Reijnders is understood to be happy at Milan. But few can ignore the allure of Manchester City. The Premier League remains the pinnacle for many, and the chance to compete for Champions League titles under Pep Guardiola is a pull that most players would struggle to resist.
For Milan, the move prompts a period of reckoning. With Igli Tare newly appointed, the task of reinvesting wisely and recalibrating the club’s ambitions falls squarely on his shoulders. Reijnders’ exit is more than just the departure of a top player: it marks a symbolic passing of an era, a test of Milan’s ability to retain talent and sustain momentum.
As Reijnders prepares to join City’s constellation of stars, one thing is certain: he is no longer the unknown gem from Alkmaar. He is a proven force, now stepping onto a bigger stage, ready to write his next act under the bright lights of the Etihad.
I wonder how he’ll feel after 6 months of rain and 100mph football…
8M a year will buy him an umbrella for the bench
He can even pay for someone else to hold it for him.
With how many goals we conceded you can´t spare Reijnders, playing in the double pivot with defensive stats not much better than Leao´s, from criticism. He will be missed for the positive game, but I don´t see the b2b in him that some do.
I agree. But since Rodri is there it won’t be that much of an issue for him.
He is not a De Bruyne replacement but Gundogan. Obvious. They are missing goals from midfield, not creativity.
Get Malik Tillman as Reijnders replacement.
He would cost almost the same money as Milan sold Reijnders for (55M€). And Bayern has buy back clause.
Tillman is injury prone he plays 5 games in whole year
More as AM than as CM to be Reijnders replacement, but yes, he would be good, and also i think would be a good way to give peace of mind to Pulisic, whom at the moment i think is the one around who the team should be rebuilt. He is Pulisic teammate in USNT, and definitely better that Musah (thinking of US players), who should be sold. A rebuilt is dangerous, letting go of many players to bring others in, but if they are to do it, i think it can be done and get a competitive squad (not that there is faith on this management doing good, but, a man can hope, and maybe they let Tare work). So is being said that Maignan to Chelsea, Thiaw to Leverkusen, Theo will be out, Reijnders already gone to City, Chukwueze will be out, Leao to Bayern, and supposedly Emerson asked his agent to try a return to Betis. Then i would take 3 others to leave (and surprised not much has been said on the news of them leaving): Tomori, RLC and Musah. If you could get: Maignan (12 M), Tomori (18), Thiaw (22), Emerson (8), Theo (20), Musah (20), RLC (15), Chukwueze (15), Reijnders (55) and Leao (75), that adds to 260 M. I would consider: 25 M for a GK (maybe Carnesecchi or Svilar?); there are rumours of Bayern offering money plus a player, Milan should request 75 M cash + Kim and that way you get the player that was best defender of the league when Napoli was champion in 2023; 25 M for a CB (Comuzzo don’t think Fiorentina would accept 25, Coppola i think was an option and for less money but Brighton just got him, and so, maybe Leoni? And should be for less money than 25 M); LB maybe Cambiaso for 35 M? There were news about Tare thinking of him (if not then maybe de Cuyper, and should be for less than 35), Tagliafico would be free as back up LB, ended his contract at Lyon, for a couple of seasons i think could be a good back up; then maybe Rovella for 50 M? The team can’t just count with Fofana for a whole season; CM as Tijani replacement i would go for Kokcu, Milan was interested in him when he was at Feyenoord and he did good there and has been good at Benfica and is still young, maybe for 30 M?; the AM they should try for Tillman for 35 M; then as replacement for Chukwueze and Pulisic back up, Chiesa or Berardi for 15 M (Berardi played last season in serie B but he was still great for Sassuolo, who won their competition. Maybe now he would consider another challenge); Lookman as replacement for Leao and there were rumours that Atalanta gave him their word of letting him go, and that it could be for 40 M; replacement for Lookman i would leave Saelemaekers; and then would look for a veteran striker to put pressure on Gimenez, someone for 15 M, maybe Mitrovic that the rumour is that wants to return to Europe. So in costs you would have: 25 for a GK, 25 CB, 35 LB, 50 DM, 30 CM, 35 AM, 15 RW, 40 LW, 15 CF, total 270 M
Some idiotic comment down here talks about the weather of other country?! haha
Haha mind your own team in Italy, are you still a “Milan fan”? the team is falling lmao. He cares other country more than his team after the player departs. – With the milan jersey in his avartar, What a clown he is! 🙂
At least we got another financial Scudetto guaranteed 💪💪💪
We needed a proper, structural rebuild after Tonali. 90 millions and 5 midfielders later only Reijnders was sticking out but even he was non exsistent without the ball and in defensive phase. And we’re looking at the same situation with bith fullbacks now. No proper reinforcements were presented for seasons now. These clowns just don’t know how to build a football team, simple as that.
Only Rejnders? Pulisic?
He was talking about midfielders. Pulišić is seen as a forward.
Sure, then we need to take into consideration 250 millions spent from which only Puli and Reijnders showed something. That’s combined 40 millions out of 250 spent. That makes it even worse.
Touché
Wishing him all the best, very good player indeed and can definitely excel further if surrounded by a quality team.
Quite frankly, this is a no-brainer choice especially since there is no European football for ACM next year. Which is exactly my concern here; we are rapidly heading towards another revolution (we all know what happened to the first one post Pioli era) starting from selling possibly our best player last year? Really…? Maignan is also going out too.
Ideally, we should built around Reijnders, not start by selling him.
But, oh well, that’s our current managements vision….
Folks, this management isn’t trying to “plug” any holes. They are simply trying to offload most valuable assets, replace them with younger players with capital gains potential.
There is no functionality outside of what Tare can do. Same rotten head, same low expectations. “Max, we just need Top4. That’s it”. Bandages on shark bites.
Lol troll much
Nobody trusts the management but from reijnders aside(even though how do you say no that money for a player like him) if players like maignan, leao, theo want to leave then let them go. Maignan besides the scudetto year has been an average gk. Between the countless injuries, bad blunders there have been decent performances but it’s not like he’s irreplaceable. Iegit think theo was our worst player last year that was a starter. Brutal defending, brutal attitude, lazy. No wonder why nobody wants him. For leao, how many more times are we going to try to invent him again. He can go to any team in the world he’s still going to be lazy and make the same runs and choices. Hr has fully peaked.
It all depends on who tare replaces them with. Need hungry guys that want to be a team and then will we see a change. I’d rather have a team of 11instead of 4’stars’ who think they’re too good for the team.
Our biggest points of reference/captains like Theo, MM16, Leao all want to leave. Even Puli wants to go. What a mess! We need to be rebuild from scratch, which is very unfortunate given we got the sccudeto with one of the youngest teams in europe.
P.S.
Someone or maybe few from the management need to be shown the door.
Theo, Maignan and Leao are rotten apples. Offloading them will give the team some fresh air.
Why are they rotten apples? All them have broken their backs for an ungrateful fanbase, mediocre, clueless coaches and a management that is turning the club into a laughing stock. Who would want to stay under those circumstances? Reijnders is going to be making tons of cash and will be in a team fighting for titles every season. He and the others see the complete lack of ambition being displayed under this leadership and are voting with their feet. I hate to see anyone leave the club. But I don’t blame them.
No shot we need one. We got rid of our last good midfielder. Kessie, Tonali, Brahim, Bennacer, Reijnders. We got rid of them all and now have RLC Fofana, Musah, and Bondo. We’ll done cardinale. You turned a competitive challenging team into a midtable joke in just 2 years
Glad to see management still making dumb moves, Tijji is not unsellable but for 55mill with bonuses taking it up to 70mill total is poor transfer management. This season we looked like spurs last season, next season we could do worse they have shown no stop with the dumb decisions
The other problem is our management lies, literally a week after stating they don’t need to sell any stars/essential players, two weeks later Tijji is gone most likely our best player of the season. We aren’t going anywhere currently even with Tare
Revolution with the right players and good game plan ,team work and team spirit,will bring us back
And signing from the league will do us good ,wen we qualify for Europe next season,we go for 1 or two superstars,to compete,