Reijnders can reach next level at Milan after promising start | OneFootball

Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has had a great start to 2024-25 at San Siro, and this could be the season where the 26-year-old reaches the next level for club and country.

Dutch midfielder Reijnders has had a convincing start to the season at Milan, providing two assists in the opening six Serie A matches.

The 26-year-old is not among the top 10 Serie A performers in the opening stage of the campaign but has proved to be a key tactical weapon to Rossoneri coach Paulo Fonseca.

Reijnders’ ability and confidence with the ball was particularly evident in a 2-1 win over city rivals Inter less than two weeks ago. The Dutch midfielder received the highest rating among Milan players from SofaScore (8.00) thanks to one assist, eight duels won, two key passes and 83% passing accuracy.

The Dutch midfielder has been used in two different positions this season, central midfielder and attacking midfielder, and has been covering both roles with confidence and quality.

Reijnders can reach next level at Milan after promising start

When Milan plays a 4-4-2 system, new signing Youssouf Fofana helps the Rossoneri be more balanced in the middle of the park, giving Reijnders the freedom to support strikers when needed. At the same time, the ex-AZ Alkmaar star swaps positions with Ruben Loftus-Cheek when Fonseca picks a 4-2-3-1 formation. With this tactic, Reijders drops deep when RLC supports strikers and vice versa.

Reijnders has had a solid start to the season with his national team too, scoring in both international games against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Germany in September.

Overall, he has three goals and two assists in 17 international appearances.

“I immediately felt very comfortable with the Dutch team,” Reijnders said after scoring his first international goal against Scotland in March 2024.

“Here, I have the same role as I do at Milan, so I was able to integrate my game well into the national team. Frenkie de Jong? We are both players who like to have the ball at our feet and want to play it. I think together we can do well.

“The moment I kicked the ball, I immediately felt that it could go into the goal. It was very nice to score my first goal for the Dutch national team. Was it my best goal ever? Perhaps yes, in any case, it’s very high on the list.”

In his second season at Milan, expectations are even higher for Reijnders, but the Dutch midfielder has proved that he can add value to Fonseca and the Rossoneri during the 2024-25 campaign.

Milan have often based their success on a solid and creative central midfield, possibly filled with Dutch players such as Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, or Clarence Seedorf. Reijnders’s solid start to the season suggests that the Dutchman can fulfil his potential and reach the next level this term, helping his club and country fight for more trophies.