Reijnders Joins Man City: “I’m Not Here to Replace De Bruyne”

Tijjani Reijnders begins his Manchester City career with a clear statement — he is not arriving to fill the void left by Kevin De Bruyne, who has just moved to Napoli after a decade with The Citizens.

The 26-year-old Dutch midfielder joins City in a £46.5 million deal from AC Milan. While acknowledging De Bruyne as one of his idols alongside Andres Iniesta, Reijnders emphasizes the importance of establishing his own playing identity.

“I’m not here to replace De Bruyne. I have to play my own game. But I take things from different players, like how De Bruyne was scanning the pitch and the passes he gave,” says Reijnders.

Reijnders’ arrival at City coincides with the signing of left-back Rayan Aït-Nouri from Wolves. Both players will be immediately available for the Club World Cup match against Wydad AC.

“It’s a big step for my career. I’ve been in the Premier League for five years and the league is very hard. They have a lot of very good teams. But for sure, the step is more higher. I will try to give my best,” states Aït-Nouri.