A reported $67 million Saudi transfer would reshape Manchester City's midfield only a year after Tijjani Reijnders arrived. The possible next step, interest in Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, carries its own timing and cost questions.
Tijjani Reijnders is set to leave Manchester City for a reported $67 million move to Saudi Arabia, with Al Qadsiah having reached an agreement with City over the midfielder’s transfer, according to The Athletic. At the same time, Manchester City is interested in signing Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea, making Reijnders’ expected exit part of a potentially wider midfield reshuffle.
The proposed move matters because Reijnders joined City only a year ago and played regularly in his first season. Yet an agreement between clubs does not complete the transfer: discussions involving Al Qadsiah and the player were still ongoing, while City’s interest in Fernandez had not become a confirmed bid.
Al Qadsiah have a deal with City
The Athletic reported that Manchester City and Al Qadsiah had agreed terms for Reijnders’ transfer after earlier talks between the clubs. The Saudi club’s season opener was approaching, adding a practical reason for all sides to seek a quick resolution.
The reported $67 million figure presents the deal as a major sale for City, though the precise structure of any payment, including potential add-ons, has not been publicly detailed in the reporting available. Nor had a completed transfer been announced at the time of the report.
That distinction is important in a late-stage transfer story. A club-to-club agreement establishes a route for the move, but personal terms, final paperwork and registration can still affect the timetable.
A short City stay could end
Reijnders arrived from AC Milan in June 2025 for a reported £46.5 million and signed a contract running to 2030. His possible departure after one season would be striking given both the investment and his standing when he arrived.
Before moving to England, the Netherlands international had been voted Serie A midfielder of the year. He scored 15 goals in all competitions in his final Milan campaign and started 63 of the club’s 64 matches, according to The Athletic.
His City record was solid rather than insignificant: 47 appearances, five goals and two assists in his debut campaign. But he started only half of City’s Premier League matches, with Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Rayan Cherki preferred more often later in the season.
That creates two defensible readings of the reported sale. One is that City would be parting with a talented 28-year-old who had not yet had time to settle fully. The other is that the club sees a chance to recoup heavily on a player whose role was not guaranteed.
City’s midfield picture is changing
Reijnders’ situation cannot be separated from a busy midfield landscape. City had already added Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, while Bernardo Silva had left on a free transfer for Real Madrid, according to the report.
Rodri’s future was also described as unresolved, with Barcelona pushing to sign him. Even if those situations develop differently, they show why City are examining more than one route rather than treating Reijnders’ potential exit as an isolated transaction.
For a possession-heavy team, midfield recruitment is not simply about replacing appearances or goals. City would need to consider ball progression, pressing, defensive coverage and the ability to operate alongside whichever players remain.
That is the central tension behind the reported plan: selling Reijnders could create financial room and alter the squad balance, but it could also remove a versatile option before every other midfield question has been settled.
Why Enzo Fernandez is on the list
City hold an interest in Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, The Athletic reported. The Argentina international would represent a very different kind of market move: a high-profile player at a Premier League rival rather than a straightforward replacement sourced from abroad.
New City head coach Enzo Maresca previously worked with Fernandez at Chelsea, a connection that may help explain the interest. Familiarity can matter in a compressed transfer window, particularly when a club is assessing whether a player can adapt quickly to a specific tactical role.
Still, interest is not an offer, and an offer is not an agreement. Chelsea reportedly gave City a 5 p.m. Friday deadline to make a proposal, saying Fernandez would remain at Stamford Bridge if no bid arrived by then.
That reported deadline gives Chelsea leverage while forcing City to decide whether Fernandez is a genuine priority or simply one option among several. It also means the timing of the Reijnders deal and the pursuit of Fernandez may be connected without being directly dependent on each other.
Saudi ambition is part of the equation
For Al Qadsiah, Reijnders would be another statement of intent as the club seeks to strengthen its squad before moving into the new Aramco Stadium. The venue is expected to host matches at the 2027 Asian Cup.
Saudi clubs have become influential players in the transfer market by combining resources with ambitious sporting and infrastructure plans. A deal for a recent Serie A award winner and Manchester City regular would fit that strategy.
The move would also test a familiar football question. A Saudi offer can be financially compelling and provide a central role in an expanding league, while a player leaving the Premier League at 28 may face scrutiny over whether the timing serves his competitive ambitions.
Neither perspective determines Reijnders’ decision. Until personal terms are finalized and the transfer is formally completed, the key issue remains whether he sees Al Qadsiah as the right next step after just one season in Manchester.
What City still need to resolve
The immediate watch points are clear: whether Reijnders and Al Qadsiah complete their talks, whether City confirm the sale, and whether Chelsea receive a formal approach for Fernandez before their reported deadline.
There are broader questions, too. City may need to determine Rodri’s future, assess how Anderson fits, and decide whether Fernandez’s profile and likely cost justify a move. The answer will shape whether the summer is remembered as a controlled reset or a rapid series of reactions.
For now, the reported Reijnders agreement offers the strongest concrete development. City’s Fernandez interest adds a compelling possible sequel, but it remains a transfer possibility rather than a completed solution.
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