David Ornstein: Man City strike €55m deal with Milan for midfield upgrade | OneFootball

Reijnders Move Signals New Evolution in Manchester City Midfield

Guardiola refreshes engine room again

It is both the end of something and the beginning of something else. Manchester City, the club that has rewritten the book on how to win Premier League titles, are doing what champions do best: preparing before the applause has stopped. According to David Ornstein in The Athletic, City have reached an agreement with AC Milan to sign Tijjani Reijnders for €55 million (£46.3m) plus add-ons, with the Dutch international set to sign a five-year deal.

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Reijnders is not a like-for-like replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, but then again, nobody is. What he does bring is the ability to glide between lines, an eye for progression and 15 goals last season to underline his attacking credentials. Serie A’s midfielder of the year did not go unnoticed.

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“Talks have remained ongoing with a club-to-club agreement now reached for Reijnders to join Pep Guardiola’s side,” the report stated. And though he only signed a new Milan deal through to 2030, Reijnders is now City-bound.

With Rodri’s return from injury and Nico Gonzalez already on board, City’s midfield is undergoing yet another tactical reboot — not out of necessity, but out of relentless ambition.

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Reijnders is exactly the sort of signing that could define this new era: forward-thinking, technically sound and capable of playing across multiple phases of the game. He is not just a body to fill the void left by De Bruyne — he is a statement that evolution doesn’t wait for sentiment.

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De Bruyne has been iconic, but all icons eventually fade. Reijnders brings fresh energy and dynamism, and having scored 15 goals last season, he is more than just a recycler of possession. He has a forward instinct, a confidence on the ball and experience at the highest level with Milan and the Netherlands.

City are not standing still. While others rebuild in panic, they refresh with purpose. This isn’t just about next season. This is about the next generation of dominance. Reijnders might just be the key to unlocking it.