Tijjani Reijnders, a 23-year-old Dutch midfielder, has quickly become a compelling figure in the football world, particularly following his impressive performances at AC Milan. Since turning 23 in July 2021, Reijnders has firmly established himself in the starting line-up. He stepped into the most legendary of Dutch shoes at the legendary San Siro, filling the boots of Dutch heroes like Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, and Marco van Basten. His recent wins have raised his stock considerably. Today, he emerges as the best fit candidate for Manchester City’s midfield overhaul as they seek to refill the talent tank ahead of another quest to conquer Europe.
Throughout the 2024/25 season, Reijnders netted 15 goals for Milan in all competitions, a result of his technical proficiency and inventive characteristic ingenuity. Aside from a powerful shot, Paul’s skill set has given him the ability to make those crucial passes and score goals. These traits are a perfect fit for Manchester City’s ball-dominant style of play. His passing range and game control have made him one of the most notable midfielders in Serie A.
Over the past two seasons in Italy, Reijnders has significantly improved his game and cemented his status in a highly competitive league. He turned in exceptional performances, resulting in him being named Serie A’s Midfielder of the Year. This honor highlights his noteworthy contributions on and off the field. Statistically, he was still one of the league’s top-20 players in a dozen important metrics. These ranged from goals scored from open play to chances created, final third passes completed, successful dribbles, and defensive interceptions.
It has not been a smooth path to success for Reijnders. From the start though, he needed to be patient as he waited for his chance in central midfield at {AZ Alkmaar}. His former coach, Pascal Jansen, recalled how Reijnders approached him after playing limited minutes, expressing a desire for more involvement.
“He came up to me and said, ‘Coach, I have played 50 per cent of the minutes but I need more.’” – Pascal Jansen
Even with these obstacles early in his career, Reijnders did not get rattled. Jansen observed that with the increase in playing time, he was able to improve his overall play.
“Once he went in, he improved himself daily. Just by playing, feeling the confidence from his coach and from the team, he matured. He had all the tools but it was when he got the opportunity to show them that he delivered. He made more impact.” – Pascal Jansen
Perhaps the biggest boon has been Reijnders’ versatility in midfield. He effectively supports his teammates during build-up plays while being capable of carrying the ball forward, providing assists, and scoring from distance. Jansen illustrated how productive Reijnders ended up being once finally granted regular minutes.
“He was very important in the build-up phase. He could feel when he needed to come deep to support Jordy Clasie. But he was also able to carry the ball, provide assists and take shots from distance and score goals. He just became very productive.” – Pascal Jansen
Perhaps the most significant quality of Reijnders’ character is his enthusiasm. As for Mesa, Jansen said he loved his attitude and enthusiasm for the game.
“The fun thing about Tijjani is that he is always smiling. You can see, literally, in his body language when he is enjoying himself.” – Pascal Jansen
Reijnders’ remarkable growth didn’t stop after signing for AC Milan this summer. Once the defense was his Achilles heel. What he has done, even just this season with constant play with club and country, is hammer home every improvement and detail learned.
“His defending was a weak point before but he has developed this a lot playing games for AZ, Milan and the Netherlands national team,” – Michel Vonk
As he developed into his role at Milan, Reijnders started to inspire comparisons to some of football’s greats. He idolized Andrés Iniesta in his formative years and wears the no 14 jersey made famous by Johan Cruyff. He rejected a move to Barcelona to sign for AC Milan. This move demonstrates his ambition to leave a lasting legacy on one of football’s biggest stages.
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