Tijjani Reijnders Joins Al-Qadsiah in €61 Million Move
Tijjani Reijnders’ Manchester City stay is over after just one season, with the Dutch midfielder sealing a blockbuster move to Al-Qadsiah in a deal that underlines both Saudi ambition and Milan’s transfer-market sharpness.
Al-Qadsiah have paid a reported €61 million to take Reijnders to the Saudi Pro League, handing him a five-year contract worth more than €100m in total salary. The club unveiled their new signing with a slick presentation video on X, where Reijnders introduced himself with a line that will follow him for a while: “I’m a Dutch artist; I’m a Qadsiah man.”
He leaves England with 50 appearances for City across all competitions and two domestic cups to his name. It was brief, but not empty. He collected medals, showed flashes of his range in midfield, and then, just as he seemed set to grow into a bigger role, the door opened to the Middle East and City chose to walk through it.
Milan’s masterstroke
On the surface, City have done decent business. They signed Reijnders for €55m a year ago and have now moved him on for €61m. A profit, trophies banked, wages cleared. Efficient.
But the real winners sit in Milan.
When Milan sold Reijnders to City last summer, they did not just wave him off and hope for the best. They built a safety net and then some: up to €14m in performance-related add-ons, and, crucially, a clause tailored for exactly this kind of swift resale.
The agreement stated that if Manchester City sold Reijnders within the first year, they would owe Milan the full €14m package, no matter what. No need for Champions League glory. No need for a Ballon d’Or shortlist. No thresholds, no debates. Sell him early, pay it all.
City pushed to close the Al-Qadsiah deal quickly. That urgency now comes at a cost. By triggering that clause, they are legally obliged to send the extra millions to Italy, taking Milan’s total haul for Reijnders to almost €70m.
For context, Milan originally paid around €13m to sign him from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2023. One year on, they walk away with a profit of roughly €56m on a player who gave them a single season. In a market often accused of chaos, this is cold, calculated business.
New chapter in Saudi Arabia
For Reijnders, the next step is clear. He heads into a squad being reshaped under Brendan Rodgers, with fellow new arrival Mateo Retegui among his new teammates. Al-Qadsiah are not just spending for show; they are gearing up for their first appearance in the AFC Champions League Elite and building a side designed to make an impact there.
The schedule will not wait for him to settle slowly. Reijnders could make his debut as early as Friday, when Al-Qadsiah face Al-Ittihad in the second round of the Saudi Pro League. A new league, a new continent, a huge contract, and the weight of a major fee on his shoulders.
From AZ to Milan, from Manchester to the Gulf, his rise has been rapid. The question now is simple: can the “Dutch artist” turn this lavish move into a masterpiece on the pitch, or will this be remembered as the deal that made Milan rich?
