Manchester City have confirmed the arrival of Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan, which represents the club’s fourth signing of the first mini-summer transfer window.
Reijnders effectively confirmed the deal last weekend while on international duty with the Netherlands, such was his eagerness to complete the move. That excitement has not diminished during the slight delay before the official announcement.
“I am ecstatic to be signing for Manchester City,” he told the club’s website. “City are one of the biggest teams in the world, with the best coach, world-class players and outstanding facilities. Under Pep Guardiola, City have won so many titles, and I want to help keep that going with a lot more success in the coming years.”
City have tied Reijnders down to a five-year deal after agreeing, per BBC Sport, a £46.5 million ($62.7 million) fee. Following the acquisitions of Rayan Aït-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Marcus Bettinelli, the serial champions have spent more than £108 million ($145.7 million) in the space of 10 days.
Despite announcing the transfer after Tuesday’s transfer deadline, the serial champions say that Reijnders is eligible for this summer’s Club World Cup.
“It is also a dream come true to play in the Premier League,“ Reijnders beamed. “This league has seen many of the best Dutch players perform through the years and it’s an inspiration to follow in their footsteps.
“I am really looking forward to getting going, meeting the other players and showing the Manchester City fans what I can do.”
City’s sporting director Hugo Viana added: “He arrives here with extensive top-level experience in Europe both at club level as well as on the international stage with the Netherlands.
“Tijjani adds extra energy, composure and creativity to our midfield and working with Pep and our coaches will only see him go from strength to strength.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man City Confirm Tijjani Reijnders Transfer, Club World Cup Eligibility Revealed.
