Why Man City view Tijjani Reijnders as perfect De Bruyne replacement

04.06.2025 - 10:49 | source: Transfermarkt | Reading Time: 4 mins

€55m initial fee

Deal agreed - Is Tijjani Reijnders the perfect De Bruyne replacement at Manchester City?

©TM/IMAGO

Replacing Kevin de Bruyne will likely prove an impossible task but Manchester City have identified Tijjani Reijnders as their priority midfield target this summer. After winning four consecutive titles, Man City relinquished their crown as kings of English football this season and Pep Guardiola began rebuilding his squad for next season in the January window.

Stats T. Reijnders Central Midfield AC Milan Season 24/25 –

Serie A Games 37 Goals 10 Assists 5

City splashed €218 million on five new arrivals, which was comfortably the highest of any club and Omar Marmoush’s €75m arrival was the sixth most expensive transfer in the history of the January window. With De Bruyne departing, City have made their move for Reijnders and it's understood they've agreed a deal with AC Milan for an initial €55m fee, plus a potential €15m in add-ons. Personal terms have also been finalised with the Netherlands international and an announcement is imminent. With expert insight from Italy, we've analysed the talented midfielder and detailed why Man City view him as a world-class talent.

Who is Tijjani Reijnders?

Born in the Netherlands, Reijnders comes from good footballing stock with his father, Martin, playing professionally in the Eredivisie and his brother, Eliano, is currently contracted to PEC Zwolle and plays internationally for Indonesia. The midfielder developed in his homeland at RKC Waalwijk, PEC Zwolle and AZ Alkmaar before earning his big move to AC Milan for €20.5m in 2023. Reijnders enjoyed an impressive maiden season in Italy, making 50 appearances in all competitions as AC finished runners up to rivals Inter.

But the Dutch international has truly caught the attention this season with consistent, excellent performances despite AC Milan ending the season in eighth in Serie A. Reijnders’ role has altered under three permanent managers in Italy but he’s flourished with more licence to roam forward. Capable of playing as box-to-box midfielder or a more controlled role in a double pivot, Reijnders has scored 15 goals for AC Milan this season, which is more than any other central midfielder at a top five league club.

Tijjani Reijnders: The view from Italy

Reijnders was nominated for Transfermarkt’s player of the year award in Italy and Aniello Luciano. Serie A expert at TM, has provided the lowdown on the midfielder. “Milan's season was not the most exciting but it highlighted the progress of Reijnders, one of the Rossoneri's positive points,” Luciano said. “The growth coincided with a tactical role in the team, which has adapted from playmaker to conductor with different coaches. He acts as the sort of glue between midfield and attack, with and without the ball. In a style of play that offers him greater freedom to action, Reijnders has been able to make the most of his dynamism and intelligence. He has excellent vision but is not a pure playmaker and can be deployed in a three-man midfield or as part of a double pivot. Reijnders moves the ball intelligently, his passing is always positive and that can cause turnovers as he always takes risks.

On Reijnders’ qualities, Aniello added: “He can express himself best in a team that moves the ball a lot, playing in tight spaces and quickly to overcome the pressing lines and have more space available to attack. Reijnders excels at progressive passes and moving in the final third of the pitch. He still needs to work on being more cohesive with teammates and maximising his efficiency. He has a particular style of play, evident when he has the opportunity to play without defensive responsibilities - he always wants to move forward and thinks from an attacking perspective.”

Manchester City’s interest in Tijani Reijnders

Man City’s interest in Reijnders is genuine and there’s an acceptance that he will be keen on the move, especially with AC Milan failing to qualify for the Champions League next season. Speaking last month, Reijnders highlighted how ambitious he is, stating: "My biggest goal is to win as many trophies as possible. Because if I play football, it’s to write my name in the history books. Being a Ballon d'Or candidate one day is a dream, of course, because it means a lot. Everything will depend on my performances and the trophies I win."

Reijnders’ is currently AC Milan’s second most valuable asset at €50m with his market value increasing by €20m across the last year - the Netherlands international is also the eight most valuable player in Italy. It’s been widely reported that AC Milan want a club record fee to sell Reijnders this summer after, which currently stands at Kaka’s €67m move to Real Madrid in 2009. Despite signing a new until 2030 recently, Man City have agreed a deal for Reijnders and he will become their record sale - if add-ons are met.

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