The high technical quality of the Dutchman had already been demonstrated multiple times in his first season with the Rossoneri, to which a still modest productivity in terms of goalscorer numbers was the counterbalance. The situation changed with the arrival of Paulo Fonseca as coach, who was smart enough to understand that the former AZ Alkmaar player had to be freed from defensive duties by advancing his range of action into the attacking third.
Reijnders creates beautiful football when he is in great form, always thinks and plays vertically, lifts his head, and looks at the goal as the ultimate boundary to reach happiness. The Dutch international has already scored 13 goals and is the team’s second top scorer, only behind Christian Pulisic. Important numbers that have caught the attention of clubs with five-star prestige. Real Madrid was struck by his performance on November 5th, when Milan triumphed 1-3 at the Bernabeu, thanks in part to a magnificent goal by Tijjani. However, it is Manchester City that is the most interested club. Pep Guardiola knows his team needs a midfield makeover and has targeted the Milan midfielder. With his technical characteristics and vision, he would be perfect for the Spanish coach’s style of play.
Milan acted quickly to secure Reijnders, both two summers ago when they snatched him from Barcelona’s competition and a few weeks ago when they announced his contract renewal until 2030 with an increase in salary to 3.5 million euros net per season. A move that many saw as a way of saying, “You’re not going anywhere, stay here to help us relaunch the club.” But will it really be like that even without qualifying for the next Champions League? The Rossoneri will have to resist what will be a strong temptation to cash in, as England believes Manchester City will offer between 50 and 60 million euros for the Dutch talent, who Milan bought from AZ Alkmaar for 20 million euros in the summer of 2023. A temptation that Tijjani himself will have to resist, as he trusted the club during a not-so-easy time but will now be interested in understanding what the new project will be.
