Dutch national team midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has officially left 'Manchester City' and joined Saudi club 'Al-Qadsiah', reports Sport RBC.UA, citing the press service of the Arab club. The 28-year-old midfielder spent only one season with the 'Citizens' before deciding to continue his career in Saudi Arabia. At the official presentation, the player and club officials held up the red home kit of 'Al-Qadsiah' featuring sponsor logos — Aloula Aviation, Beste, and other league partners.
Official move to the Saudi league
According to sources, the transfer fee for Reijnders to 'Al-Qadsiah' amounted to 52 million pounds sterling, equivalent to approximately 70 million dollars. In his new club, the midfielder will play under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers — former manager of 'Liverpool' and 'Leicester', who now leads the Saudi team. The player himself commented on his departure from the English club on Instagram: "Two finals at Wembley and a season I will always remember fondly. Thank you, City".
Season at 'Manchester City': from triumph to the bench
Reijnders joined the 'Citizens' in the summer of 2025, moving from 'Milan' for 55 million euros as the best player of Serie A. His debut was bright — a goal and an assist in the match against 'Wolverhampton'. However, his career in England subsequently developed ambiguously: in total, he played 47 matches for 'Manchester City' in all competitions, scoring seven goals. Starting in February, the midfielder started only twice in Premier League matches, which essentially predetermined his departure.
WC-2026 and the Netherlands national team
At the 2026 World Cup, Reijnders played for the Netherlands national team, participating in three group stage matches — against Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia. However, in the round of 16, when the team lost to Morocco, the midfielder watched the match from the bench. This episode became another argument in favor of changing clubs and seeking more regular playing time.
Contradictory data
Versions regarding the transfer fee vary depending on the source. The press service and Sport RBC.UA cite a figure of 52 million pounds (about 70 million dollars). Meanwhile, a number of other publications — in particular, tut-news.ru and sportbox.ru — indicate a sum of around 61 million, with sportbox.ru explicitly qualifying it as 61 million euros, while tut-news.ru additionally reports a contract with 'Al-Qadsiah' until 2031. Thus, the fact of the transfer is officially confirmed, although the exact transfer figure and contract duration do not match in open sources.
Context: continuing trend of Saudi transfers
Reijnders' move fits into the steady trend of attracting European stars to Saudi Arabia, where clubs continue to invest in strengthening their squads. For 'Manchester City', losing a midfielder who arrived for 55 million euros means a new 'gap' in the center of the field that the club will have to fill during the transfer campaign. For Reijnders himself, the move is a chance to regain his status as a key player under the guidance of a coach familiar from English football.
