AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has confirmed he is on the cusp of a move to Manchester City, with multiple reports stating he will soon by joined by Lyon playmaker Rayan Cherki.
Pep Guardiola’s serial Premier League champions have embarked upon a significant squad overhaul this calendar year. After spending more than every other Premier League club combined during the January transfer window, City have officially unveiled the first arrival of what promises to be a busy summer.
City effectively sealed a deal for Reijnders in the middle of last week. The former Milan midfielder confirmed that he left the Dutch national team to complete his medical simply because he “couldn’t wait any longer.”
“The intention is to participate in the Club World Cup with City,” Reijnders told reporters after the Netherlands earned a 2–0 victory over Finland on Saturday. “I’m excited about it. This way I can get to know my new teammates straight away.”
The costly Dutchman is arriving to help fill the void left by Kevin De Bruyne’s departure. Reijnders, who has blossomed into a towering, all-action midfielder at Milan, is set to be joined at the Etihad by Lyon’s Cherki in the very near future.
The French starlet recently admitted that “everyone knows” where he will be playing his football next season and Lyon have now come to an agreement with City regarding the departure of their star midfielder, as L'Équipe first reported. The French outlet revealed that Cherki had penned a five-year deal, while Fabrizio Romano put the transfer fee in the region of €35 million (£29.4 million, $40 million).
Cherki and Reijnders could also be joined by Wolverhampton Wanderers fullback Rayan Aït-Nouri after multiple reports claimed that a £36.3 million ($49.1 million) has been agreed.
It’s not all new arrivals for City. On Monday morning, the club confirmed the departure of fan favourite Scott Carson. The 39-year-old former England international has served as City’s third-choice goalkeeper since returning from a loan spell at Derby County in 2021. A cult hero and widely adored member of the dressing room, Carson’s absence is one which will be keenly felt off the pitch.
The Telegraph claim that City are considering a move for Chelsea’s Marcus Bettinelli to replace the outgoing veteran. Unlike Reijnders, Bettinelli is expected to be available for a “small fee.”
City are moving swiftly in the early stages of this off-season to provide Guardiola with a rejuvenated squad for this summer’s Club World Cup. Sides competing in the inaugural edition of an expanded 32-team tournament can register new players for the group stage up until the first transfer window closes on June 10. City’s first match in the competition is against Moroccan outfit Wydad AC on June 18.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as €55 Million Star Confirms Man City Move, Second Signing ‘In Place’.
