Tijjani Reijnders has agreed to leave Manchester City for Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah in a £52 million deal, according to the Times.
The Netherlands international turned down interest from Nottingham Forest to make the move, which will bring him a significant pay rise and reunite him with former Liverpool, Leicester and Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers at Al-Qadsiah.
The switch will be finalised once the 28-year-old completes a medical. Reijnders joined City for £46.3 million from AC Milan last summer and held down a regular starting spot early in the campaign, but fell out of favour as the season progressed, managing only five Premier League starts in the second half of the year.
He finishes his solitary City season with 50 appearances, seven goals and eight assists.
His departure is the latest move in a significant midfield reshuffle under new head coach Enzo Maresca. City have already brought in Elliot Anderson for £116 million, while Barcelona have twice had bids rejected for World Cup winner Rodri this summer.
Should Rodri complete a move to Camp Nou, City are ready to move for Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández as a replacement, though Chelsea have told them a bid must land before 5pm on Friday.
Reijnders’ exit continues a wider pattern of Premier League talent heading to the Gulf, with Al-Qadsiah positioning themselves as one of the Saudi Pro League’s most ambitious clubs under Rodgers.
For City, it represents a modest profit on a player signed just over a year ago, and another sign of how quickly Maresca is willing to reshape the squad he inherited from Pep Guardiola.
Photo: REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
