How Tijjani Reijnders made an instant impact at Man City and might ease the blow of losing Kevin de Bruyne

When Tijjani Reijnders moved to Manchester City this summer, he probably couldn't have thought of a better Premier League debut than the one he had against Wolverhampton on Saturday, scoring a goal and grabbing an assist. The team coached by Pep Guardiola won 4-0 in their opening league match, with two goals scored by Erling Haaland and one each by Rayan Cherki and another new signing, the talented Dutch international, Reijnders. If you've followed Serie A and AC Milan over the last seasons, you shouldn't be surprised to see him scoring in his debut match with Manchester City in the Premier League, but what can we expect from him this season under Guardiola? 

Who is Tijjani Reijnders?

The Dutch midfielder joined ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup from AC Milan for around $75 million, marking one of the key signings of the Citizens, who saw him as the natural replacement of Kevin de Bruyne, who joined Napoli as a free agent this summer. During the 2024-25 season, Reijnders was outstanding for the Rossoneri and scored 15 goals in 54 matches played in all competitions. He showed his versatility, as he can play as a deep-lying playmaker, box-to-box midfielder, or even in a more attacking role. At 27, he's still yet to complete his development as a midfielder, and Guardiola can be the right manager to make it happen in one of the best teams in the world. So far, the start of the Manchester City chapter was more than promising. 

How can he fit in Guardiola's tactical plan? 

Reijnders showed to be a versatile midfielder over the last years in Italy, as he can play in a three-player midfield line and a two-player midfield line. He can also occasionally as an attacking midfielder behind the strikers. The feeling is that he arrived at City in the right moment of his career, and a manager like Guardiola can develop him in the right him after playing in Italy, where he moved from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2023. After the Spanish manager decided he needed to find a replacement to Kevin de Bruyne before the summer, Manchester City were looking for a player with the characteristics of the Dutchman, a versatile player who can also improve even more in the next years, considering he just turned 27 this summer. On Saturday against Wolves, Reijnders played as a central midfielder, often in a more advanced role, linking the spaces between defense and attack, functioning as a point of contact for both defense and attack, something de Bruyne has done for years at Manchester City before leaving the club at the end of his contract.