New Manchester City signing rejects idea of ‘replacing’ Kevin De Bruyne | OneFootball

Manchester City’s new summer signing Tijjani Reijnders has insisted that he is not at the club to ‘replace’ the recently-departed legend, Kevin De Bruyne.

The Netherlands international arrived at the Etihad Stadium as one of the key transfer priorities identified by Hugo Viana and Txiki Begiristain, becoming the third name to be formally unveiled by the club before their tournament in the United States.

Adding much-needed energy, versatility, and perhaps an eye for a goal, there is plenty of excitement around Tijjani Reijnders and what he can bring to a Manchester City side that significantly underperformed during the last season.

Amid ongoing doubts over the future of Ilkay Gundogan given transfer interest emerging from Turkish giants Galatasaray, there remains a possibility that Reijnders has arrived as a direct replacement for the German – whether that be this summer or in 2026.

Speaking to reporters from Manchester City’s training base in Boca Raton, Florida ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, Tijjani Reijnders was quizzed on his playing style that supporters of the side can expect from him this season and beyond.

“I’m a box-to-box player who likes to carry the ball, to be also in the build-up part, and eventually connect to the attacking part, and try to find assists and goals – that’s what I want to bring to the team,” the Netherlands international explained.

The 26-year-old also arrives into the Manchester City side during the same week in which Kevin De Bruyne gets to work at Napoli, after the Belgium international brought an end to 10 illustrious years at the Etihad Stadium.

Much has been made about the club’s ability to replace a player of such magnitude and importance, but Tijjani Reijnders has firmly shut down the idea of him being the man to succeed the 33-year-old in Sky Blue.

“I’m not at Manchester City to replace him [Kevin De Bruyne]. I have to play my own game,” Reijnders insisted.

He continued, “But I take things from different players, what they do really well and try adapt that. With Kevin De Bruyne, [it was] how he was scanning the pitch, the passes.”

The first opportunity for Tijjani Reijnders and his fellow new arrivals into the Manchester City side could come as soon as Wednesday evening when Pep Guardiola’s squad open up their FIFA Club World Cup account with a meeting against Morocco’s Wydad AC.