Report: Man City in £59m move to fix midfield before Club World Cup | OneFootball

Man City Step Up Midfield Reinvention with Reijnders Pursuit

As Manchester City prepare to get back in the title fight next season, their focus has shifted to midfield dynamism. Talks are ongoing with AC Milan over Dutch international Tijjani Reijnders according to Sky Sports, and while there’s no deal yet, the intention is loud and clear – City want reinforcements, and they want them before they jet off to the Club World Cup.

Reijnders Profile Fits City’s Evolving Blueprint

Reijnders isn’t just a box-to-box midfielder, he’s one of the most productive players in his role across Europe.

City’s admiration of his profile makes sense. With Kevin De Bruyne leaving, and Ilkay Gündogan ageing, Reijnders represents continuity and creativity in the engine room. The €70m price tag – approximately £59m – is steep but reflective of both his output and Milan’s reluctance to lose a player they see as central to their own ambitions.

Aggression Replaces Caution in Transfer Strategy

Chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak recently reflected that the club should have been “more aggressive” in the last summer window. That sense of undercooked ambition has clearly informed this year’s approach. January signings may have laid the foundations, but now the club wants more.

The urgency is matched by variety. City are not simply chasing one player. They also remain in the market for a No.10, having backed away from Florian Wirtz due to financial demands. Yet long-term targets such as Morgan Gibbs-White, Dani Olmo and Rayan Cherki remain on the radar. It is a shortlist filled with flexibility and flair.

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Future-Proofing Across the Pitch

This is not just about midfield. The club is examining options across several positions including full-back, centre-back and goalkeeper. The potential for transition is clear. Ederson has been linked with an exit, while questions continue to linger around depth in central defence.

Reijnders, though, could be a tone-setter – a player to reshape tempo and transition, capable of contributing now and evolving into a key figure over time. He is not a household name in England, but City’s track record of talent identification is such that fans are willing to trust the process.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Manchester City fan’s perspective, this feels like a necessary and intelligent move. The midfield has aged, and Reijnders appears to bring freshness, legs and end product.

There may be some reservations over the price tag. £59m is significant for a player without Premier League experience. Yet in today’s market, especially post-Wirtz disappointment, it’s understandable. City fans will likely be reassured that the club is not standing still. Reijnders is a progressive option rather than a marquee name, and that fits the club’s pattern of smart, system-first recruitment.

There’s also curiosity over what this means for other targets. If the club moves for Gibbs-White or Cherki, that suggests a deep rebuild of the attacking midfield core. Combine that with potential reinforcements in defence and goal, and this summer could mark the most substantial squad evolution since Guardiola’s early years.