Tijjani Reijnders cites Pep Guardiola as crucial reason for Manchester City transfer | OneFootball

Manchester City and Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has given an insight into what attracted him to the Etihad Stadium after completing a €55 switch from AC Milan.

Reijnders became City’s second summer signing this week and has signed a five-year contract with the 2023 treble winners, who also added Marcus Bettinelli, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki to their ranks in the 10-day June transfer window in time for the FIFA Club World Cup.

The new quartet of arrivals have all been included in Pep Guardiola’s travelling squad for the tournament, which will see Manchester City face Wydad AC in their opening group-stage fixture next week.

Kevin De Bruyne was told to find a new club in April as it became evident that Manchester City will look to strengthen their midfield come the summer, identifying Reijnders as a primary target to add depth to their options in the number eight position.

Reijnders is relishing the challenge of testing himself in the Premier League and has established himself as one of Europe’s brightest midfielders in recent years at AC Milan, scoring in a 3-1 UEFA Champions League win away at Real Madrid last season.

There remains uncertainty over what the summer might have in store for Bernardo Silva, who is entering the final year of his current deal amid interest from Portugal, having held a long-standing desire of moving closer to his homeland.

Ilkay Gundogan is expecting to enter a second year into his return to Manchester City after Barcelona let him go at the end of his first season at Camp Nou – which saw City’s former captain seal a sensational last-minute return to the Etihad Stadium last summer.

Regardless of incomings and outgoings, Reijnders represents a significant coup for a Manchester City side that were crying out for legs and inspiration in midfield last season as their usual architects-in-chief – Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden – struggled for form and fitness over the course of the season.

Lifting the lid on his excitement of joining forces with Guardiola at Manchester City, Reijnders has admitted the Catalan was a strong selling point when the Blues came calling, speaking in an in-house Manchester City interview.

“It’s a great chance for me. I’ve followed him (Guardiola) since he was coaching Barcelona with Lionel Messi,” Reijnders said.

“How he (Guardiola) played there (at Barcelona) and how he brought it here is something that made me really excited to play for Manchester City.

“For sure, to develop myself as a midfielder – to be an even more complete midfielder. Football is about winning prizes, and I hope to win as many prizes as possible here with Manchester City.”