Tijjani Reijnders issues personal message to Manchester City fans ahead of new season | OneFootball

Manchester City fans have been issued with a personal message from one of their new summer signings as the brand new season approaches.

The new season gets ever closer for Pep Guardiola’s men after a return to pre-season training this week, with less than two weeks left for Manchester City’s 2025-26 Premier League opener away at Wolves on August 16.

A third-place league finish last season saw the Manchester City board – spearheaded by director of football Hugo Viana – make six new signings this summer after some very glaring problems within Guardiola’s drained-out squad after years of unparalleled success.

Every squad has a life expectancy and Viana hasn’t been shy in marking his arrival with some major contract decisions, with Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Scott Carson all shown the door by the 2023 treble winners in this window.

Guardiola committed two more years to City after signing a new contract till 2027 in the fall of 2024, with Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Sverre Nypan and James Trafford strengthening the Catalan’s options for the two remaining seasons on his contract.

City seemed to have turned a corner with an impressive clean sweep of group-stage wins at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States in June, though the Blues fell prey to their old habits as Al-Hilal came from behind to seal a dramatic 4-3 win in extra time to add another nail in what has grown to be a sobering coffin for Guardiola and co in the last 12 months.

However, the camp looks different after a significant revamp of the dressing room and further departures are in the offing, which could see all of James McAtee, Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips leave Manchester City before the transfer window shuts on September 1.

After impression in his first few appearances in a Manchester City shirt at the Club World Cup, Tijjani Reijnders is keen to emphasise the importance of the fans in his own personal career, and how excited he is to connect with them ahead of the new season.

“I was delighted to join (Manchester) City in the summer and the excitement is definitely building now with the season getting closer and closer,” the Dutch international admitted in a new interview with Manchester City’s official club website,

“We obviously had the Club World Cup and it was a privilege to play in that, represent the team and see all the City fans out in the US to support us.

“We’ve had a short break to recharge the batteries but now we’re focused on what’s to come with open training next week, the Palermo friendly (on August 9) and then the Wolves game will be here before you know it.”

He continued, “I think this Open Training session with the fans in Manchester is important for all of us to connect ahead of the season starting and I’m definitely looking forward to it as a new signing.

“I’m someone who cares a great deal about the relationship you build with supporters and the importance of your supporters in any success you achieve. I look forward to seeing lots of them there.

“I hope they have a great day watching the training and we are really determined to give them an exciting season ahead.”