Tijjani Reijnders Heads to Saudi Arabia as Manchester City Cash In
Manchester City have agreed to sell midfielder Tijjani Reijnders to Saudi Pro League club Al-Qadsiah for around £52 million, barely a year after bringing him to the Etihad from AC Milan (BBC Sport; ESPN).
The deal — reported across multiple outlets on August 13, 2026, including Sky Sports, The Athletic, Goal, and transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano — sees City recoup more than the £46.5m they paid Milan last summer. The 28-year-old Dutchman trained away from City's main squad on Thursday as the move drew closer (BBC Sport).
Reijnders scored seven goals in 47 appearances during his one season at City — a campaign that turned out to be Pep Guardiola's last at the club. He arrived from Milan as a polished, box-to-box midfielder (a player who contributes at both ends of the pitch, defending deep and supporting attacks), and his numbers were solid without ever making him indispensable.
His summer included three appearances for the Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup. He started group games against Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia but missed the last-32 defeat by Morocco, which the Dutch lost on penalties (BBC Sport).
Al-Qadsiah, now managed by Brendan Rodgers, are spending ambitiously. The Saudi club's pursuit of Reijnders — with BeSoccer reporting the fee at €61m — signals real intent under the former Celtic and Leicester manager. Rodgers has been tasked with building a competitive side, and a proven international midfielder from one of Europe's elite clubs is a serious statement of that ambition.
For City, the sale fits a broader midfield rebuild. Uncertainty lingers over Rodri's future, and there is reported interest in Chelsea's Enzo Fernández — all signs that Guardiola's departure has opened the door to significant change in the engine room (BBC Sport).
For a club that rarely loses money on players, selling Reijnders for more than they paid is straightforward business. The deeper question is what City's midfield looks like once the dust settles — and whether the post-Guardiola era will be built around familiar faces or an entirely new core.
