Manchester City on Wednesday announced the signing of Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for £46.3 million ($62.4 million), in time for the midfielder to play in the Club World Cup.
The Dutch international, who has signed a five-year contract, is City’s fourth signing of the week as they step up a radical rebuild following a poor season by their sky-high standards.
The club have also announced deals for Lyon midfielder Rayan Cherki, Chelsea goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli and Wolves left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri over the past few days.
The total spent is around £108 million, on top of a significant outlay during the January transfer window.
The transfers have been finalised in time for the players to be registered for the group stages of the Club World Cup in the United States, which starts on June 14.
Reijnders, 26, joined AC Milan from AZ Alkmaar in 2023 and scored 15 goals during a disappointing 2024/25 campaign for the Italian club, who finished eighth in Serie A.
He will bolster manager Pep Guardiola’s midfield options following the departure of veteran Kevin De Bruyne.
“I am ecstatic to be signing for Manchester City,” said Reijnders.
“City are one of the biggest teams in the world, with the best coach, world-class players and outstanding facilities.
“Under Pep Guardiola, City have won so many titles and I want to help keep that going with a lot more success in the coming years.”
After four consecutive Premier League titles, City finished a distant third last season and bowed out of the Champions League early.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak admitted the club “probably should have been more aggressive” in the transfer market ahead of the campaign.
The club’s feverish transfer activity this month continues an overhaul of the squad that began with the January signings of Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis.
City’s director of football Hugo Viana said: “We are very happy that Tijjani has joined us and we’re excited for him to join Pep’s squad.
“He arrives here with extensive top-level experience in Europe, both at club level as well as on the international stage with the Netherlands.
“Tijjani adds extra energy, composure and creativity to our midfield and working with Pep and our coaches will only see him go from strength to strength.”
Guardiola’s men will travel to the expanded 32-team Club World Cup as defending champions after winning the competition under its previous guise in Saudi Arabia two years ago.
They open their campaign against Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia on June 18.
The summer transfer window opened early to accommodate clubs wanting to sign players ahead of the competition in the US but closed on Tuesday. It reopens on June 16.
AFP
