Manchester City Sign Tijjani Reijnders From AC Milan Ahead Of Club World Cup

Tijjani Reijnders' signing for Manchester City could signal a strengthened midfield capable of dominating the Premier League, making City a favorable choice for punters betting on their title chances. With a $150 million expenditure ahead of the Club World Cup, bettors might see this investment as a boost for City’s performance this season.

Manchester City signed Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for $63 million, completing a $150 million spree ahead of the Club World Cup.

Manchester City wrapped up a $150 million spending spree ahead of the Club World Cup by announcing the signing of Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan on Wednesday. The 26-year-old Reijnders was acquired for an initial fee of 55 million euros ($63 million) and is the second midfielder — after France playmaker Rayan Cherki — to join City during the special June 1-10 transfer window, created to allow teams in the 32-team Club World Cup to adjust their squads.

City paid Lyon $41 million for Cherki and also secured Algeria left back Rayan Aït-Nouri from Wolverhampton for $42 million. After deciding not to pursue Florian Wirtz — the German playmaker is reportedly close to joining Liverpool, according to British media — City has spent a similar amount on three players. Adding this latest expenditure to over $200 million spent in the winter transfer window, City has already invested at least $350 million in players for 2025, equipping manager Pep Guardiola with a squad capable of reclaiming the Premier League title from Liverpool.

Reijnders has recently been named the best midfielder in Serie A following a breakthrough season in which he scored 15 goals and provided five assists across all competitions for Milan, which had a dismal season and failed to qualify for Europe. He joined Milan from AZ Alkmaar in 2023 for a fee of around 20 million euros (then $22.4 million) and recently extended his contract to June 2030. That’s also the length of his contract at City.

City is releasing De Bruyne, ending his 10-year stint at the club, and now has Reijnders and Cherki to join Rodri in an exciting midfield setup. Reijnders expressed his enthusiasm about joining City. “It is also a dream come true to play in the Premier League," he said. “This league has seen many of the best Dutch players perform through the years and it’s an inspiration to follow in their footsteps."

City director of football Hugo Viana said Reijnders — who excels as a ball-carrying midfielder — will add “extra energy, composure and creativity to our midfield." City announced Reijnders’ transfer a day after the special transfer window closed but appears to have completed the signing in time for him to participate in the new 32-team Club World Cup, starting on Saturday. City is grouped with Juventus, Al Ain, and Wydad Casablanca, with their first match on June 18.

(with AP inputs)

Manchester City signed Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for $63 million, completing a $150 million spree ahead of the Club World Cup.

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