A year after arriving as the heir to De Bruyne, Reijnders is heading for the exit
Twelve months is a short time in football, but it's been long enough for Tijjani Reijnders' City career to come full circle. The Dutch international is on the brink of a £52million switch to Al Qadsiah, with negotiations in their advanced stages.
It brings a curiously swift end to a project that began with such promise.
When Reijnders arrived from AC Milan in the summer of 2025, he was widely viewed as the natural successor to Kevin De Bruyne, who had just departed for Napoli. Ilkay Gundogan had also moved on, to Galatasaray, leaving a creative vacuum that the 28-year-old was expected to fill.
That he didn't quite manage it isn't for want of trying. Reijnders contributed 15 goals across all competitions last season, a respectable return even if it never quite matched the billing.
Now, with a near-£6million profit on the horizon — City paid £46million for him a year ago — the club appears content to cash in rather than persist. The Saudi Pro League's growing pull, accelerated since Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr in 2022, has made such exits increasingly straightforward.
Anderson's path clears
The more interesting consequence might be closer to home. Elliot Anderson, the club-record signing from Nottingham Forest, suddenly finds himself with a clearer route to the first team.
With Bernardo Silva leaving and Rodri also edging towards the exit, the competition for midfield places has thinned considerably. Anderson won't have to fight quite so hard for either attention or a starting spot.
It hands Enzo Maresca a genuine opportunity to build his midfield around the young Scot, who could become one of the cornerstones of this ongoing City project. Whether that's the plan or merely a happy accident of the transfer window, it's a situation that suits all parties.
For Reijnders, the Saudi adventure beckons. For City, the books balance and the squad gets younger. Football, as ever, moves quickly.