Scout Report: Tijjani Reijnders
Tijjani Reijnders
Manchester City have continued the overhaul of their squad with several new signings early on this summer. Those through the door include Dutch midfielder, Tijjani Reijnders.
Some think of him as a Kevin de Bruyne replacement, others as a long-term deep midfielder solution, but just who is the 26-year-old? And what can he bring to the Etihad?
Career History
Born in Zwolle, Reijnders was on the football scene from a young age. After spending his younger years at his local teams, the player would spend four years of his teens at FC Twente, before returning home to sign with PEC Zwolle.
Reijnders would make his senior debut at PEC Zwolle but would ultimately leave after a year for AZ Alkmaar’s youth setup.
After a year of strong development, the midfielder was in AZ’s first team within a year, being a main stay in squads but not the first XI, from 2018.
After a short loan spell in 2020 to fellow Eredivisie side RKC Waalwijk, Reijnders returned and was straight into AZ’s team.
From here, he would begin to excel, making the leagues team of the month in September 2022 and April 2023.
In June 2023, AC Milan and the Serie A came calling, Reijnders would head that call and sign a five-year-deal with the Rossoneri. It was in the same month that the player also earned his first international call-up, being part of the side that went to the 2023 UEFA National League Finals.
In Milan, the full package of Reijnders began to shine through. In his two seasons in the Serie A, the player has been a main stay in the team, playing over 50 times in each season.
In 2024-25, Reijnders has been exceptional from central midfield, playing 51 times, scoring 16 times and getting four assists. At the end of the season, he was named in the Serie A team of the season and named best midfielder in the league.
It is no surprise that Manchester City would spend £46 million to bring the 26-year-old to the northwest of England.
Style of play
Often described as the perfect central midfielder, Reijnders has the legs and composure to play anywhere in the central area of midfield, be that as an eight, defensive or further up in an attacking position.
With AC Milan, Stefano Pioli deployed the player on the left side of midfield in a 4-3-3 formation. In this formation, Reijnders was allowed freedom to travel up and down the pitch, moving forward to create and back to defend.
The 26-year-old can also play deep as part of a double pivot, in a 4-2-3-1 formation, showing his ability to be flexible and ability to defend just as good as he can attack.
Movement and mobility are key to Reijnders game, he needs freedom to control his space, be that going forward or backwards. The perfect position for the Dutch player would be as an eight, this would allow him to show off all his attributes such as key, tight passing and composure on the ball.
In his first game for Manchester City, the player was deployed in what is often Rodri’s role as the defensive midfielder. In the game, which City beat Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca 2-0, Reijnders showed the composure he is known for, often moving the ball forward, even from that position.
Its not just fans who saw the potential either, Pep Guardiola was quick to praise the player as well.
“He’s a really good player — you smell it,”
“When he gets the rhythm, he will be top,” said Guardiola, who was asked if Reijnders could play deeper at times.
“We also have Nico Gonzalez there. Kova can come back. I see him more in the (higher) positions. Pace, in the final third.” (via The Athletic)
The classy player that is Reijnders has only been with his new team for around a week but is showing that he could be the key midfielder to reignite City’s fortunes in the coming season.
