Tijani Reijnders has namechecked Lionel Messi and called playing in the Premier League “a dream” after completing a £46.5 million move from Milan to Manchester City on a five-year contract.
Netherlands international Reijnders, who was named the best midfielder in Serie A in 2024/25, has become City’s fourth summer signing followng the arrivals of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli and Rayan Cherki.
“Under Pep Guardiola, City have won so many titles,” Reijnders told the Cityzens’ website. “I want to help keep that going with a lot more success in the coming years.
“I’ve followed him since he was coaching Barcelona with Lionel Messi and how he played there. It makes me really excited.”
Man City signings: Reijnders ‘adds energy’
The 26-year-old called himself “ecstatic” at making the move and will be eligible for the Club World Cup in the US, which starts for City against Moroccan club Wydad in Philadelphia on June 18 (17:00 BST).
“It is a dream come true to play in the Premier League,” added Reijnders. “This league has seen many of the best Dutch players perform through the years and it’s an inspiration to follow in their footsteps.
“Everybody knows it’s the biggest competition in the world. If you see last season how many clubs are playing against each other for the top places, the level is incredibly high.
“It’s a boy’s dream to play in the Premier League… at that intensity, I want to feel the energy. You have to think even quicker here, especially when you play for Man City. The spaces are even smaller.”
Director of Football Hugo Viana said Reijnders offers “extra energy, composure and creativity” to City’s midfield. “Working with Pep and our coaches will only see him go from strength to strength,” he predicted.
Tijani Reijnders stats
Reijnders spent much of his youth career at Dutch clubs Zwolle and Twente before joining AZ Alkmaar in 2018 and moving on to Milan for around £17m in 2023.
After a relatively quiet start to his time with the Italian giants, Reijnders was outstanding despite Milan only finishing eighth in 2024/25, helping them win the Italian Super Cup while scoring 15 goals in all competitions, none of which were penalties.
That total made him the second-highest scoring midfielder in Europe’s top five leagues behind Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, including three goals in 10 Champions League matches alongside five Serie A assists.
He recorded an impressive average of 1.33 key passes per 90 minutes last season, according to Destination Calcio, which credited Reijnders with a “remarkable” increase from 0.25 shots on target per game to 0.87 during the campaign.
An Oranje debutant in September 2023, Reijnders was almost ever-present during their run to the Euro 2024 semi-finals and scored his fourth international goal in their 2-2 Nations League quarter-final draw with Spain in March.
