Tijjani Reijnders Completes €61m Move to Al-Qadsiah
Tijjani Reijnders’ whirlwind year at Manchester City is over. The Dutch midfielder has completed a blockbuster move to Al-Qadsiah, sealing one of the most lucrative transfers of the summer and triggering a financial masterstroke for Milan.
A €61m exit and a five-year fortune
As reported by Football Italia, City have sold Reijnders to Al-Qadsiah for €61 million, just 12 months after bringing him in for €55m. The 25-year-old has signed a five-year deal in Saudi Arabia, with his total salary expected to climb beyond €100m over the length of the contract.
Al-Qadsiah unveiled their new signing with a slick presentation video on X. Reijnders, smiling into the camera, introduced himself with a line that will follow him for a while: “I’m a Dutch artist; I’m a Qadsiah man.”
His time in England was brief but busy. Reijnders made 50 appearances in all competitions for City and collected two domestic cups before the club decided to cash in.
Milan’s clause of the year
City walk away with a profit. Milan walk away with a jackpot.
When the Rossoneri sold Reijnders last summer, they built in up to €14m in performance-related add-ons. On paper, those bonuses were tied to major achievements: Champions League glory, Ballon d’Or-level recognition, and the like.
But Milan’s directors anticipated a rapid resale and added a key twist. If Manchester City moved Reijnders on within the first year, they would be obliged to pay the full €14m package, regardless of whether any of those lofty targets were met.
City wanted the Al-Qadsiah deal wrapped up quickly. That urgency comes at a cost. The clause is triggered in full, forcing them to send the extra millions to San Siro.
With that final payment, Milan’s total take from Reijnders climbs to almost €70m. Italian reports note that the club initially paid around €13m to AZ Alkmaar for him in the summer of 2023. The net result: a staggering profit of roughly €56m on a player they held for just one season.
In the cold world of balance sheets, this is one of the cleanest pieces of business Milan have pulled off in recent years.
New chapter in Saudi Arabia
For Reijnders, the focus now shifts to the pitch in a very different environment.
He joins an ambitious Al-Qadsiah side preparing for their first appearance in the AFC Champions League Elite, under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers. The Dutchman will link up with new teammate Mateo Retegui as the club looks to turn financial intent into footballing relevance on the continental stage.
His debut could come almost immediately. Al-Qadsiah face Al-Ittihad on Friday in the second round of the Saudi Pro League, and the “Dutch artist” may not have to wait long to start painting his new canvas.
