Tijjani Reijnders Leaves Manchester City for Al-Qadsiah in £52m Deal
Tijjani Reijnders has left Manchester City for Saudi Arabian side Al-Qadsiah in a £52m deal, drawing a swift line under a brief, intense year in English football.
The Netherlands midfielder, 28, arrived at City only last summer from AC Milan for £46.5m, billed as a key part of Pep Guardiola’s final evolution of his midfield. The numbers say he was involved – 50 appearances in all competitions, seven goals, two domestic trophies – but the move never quite caught fire in the way either club or player had imagined.
He still walked away with medals. Reijnders helped City lift both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup in Guardiola’s farewell season, a campaign that often felt like a long goodbye for the manager and, as it turns out, for several of his midfield generals.
On the international stage, his stock remained high. Reijnders started all three of the Netherlands’ group games at the 2026 World Cup, trusted from the outset in the heart of midfield. When knockout tension arrived, though, he watched from the bench as the Dutch slipped out in the last 32 against Morocco, unused on a night that ended their tournament.
His words on leaving City carried the tone of someone who knows what he is walking away from.
"I have been incredibly privileged to play for Manchester City, and I have relished every minute of my time here," he said. "From the very moment I arrived, everyone at the club - players, coaches and staff - made me feel so welcome and a part of the Manchester City family.
"I would also like to say a special thank you to the City fans who were so warm and supportive both to me and my family."
The break-up had been signposted. New manager Enzo Maresca omitted Reijnders from the squad for Sunday’s 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, a flat opening to the post-Guardiola era that underlined just how much work lies ahead at the Etihad.
While City reset, Reijnders moves into the eye of Saudi Arabia’s latest recruitment drive. He has reportedly signed a five-year contract with Al-Qadsiah, where he will play under Brendan Rodgers, the former Liverpool and Celtic manager tasked with turning the club into a serious force.
For City, his exit is part of a broader dismantling of the old midfield core. Rodri has already gone, completing a £65m switch to Barcelona. Bernardo Silva followed a different path, allowing his contract to run down before joining Real Madrid on a free transfer.
Three major midfielders, all gone in one summer. A new manager on the touchline. A Community Shield defeat as the first marker of a new chapter.
The question now is not what Reijnders will find in Saudi Arabia, but how quickly Manchester City can rebuild a midfield worthy of the era they have just left behind.
