Brutal honesty! Reijnders admits the real reason he quit City for Saudi Arabia
In an era of rehearsed PR answers, Tijjani Reijnders has just delivered the most honest interview of the year. The Dutchman openly admits he chose Saudi Arabia for the money.
Details: According to Fabrizio Romano, Reijnders said of his move to Saudi Arabia: "It's money for generations of my family. Once my playing career is over, I don't want to have to work anymore. Of course, I probably wouldn't have needed to work anymore after my contract at Manchester City either, but this move allows me to secure the future of the next generations of my family. I'm not going to lie about that. By signing this contract, I can make sure even my grandchildren are financially secure, so why wouldn't I do it?"
The 28-year-old midfielder left Manchester City for Al Qadsiah in August in a deal worth around €61 million, barely a year after arriving at the Etihad from AC Milan for €55 million. Reports suggest he will earn in the region of £86 million over the course of his contract, a figure that dwarfs anything he could have made in Europe. His candid admission that the driving force was generational wealth has split opinion: some fans praise the refreshing honesty in a sport full of empty clichés about "sporting projects", while others lament another prime-age international swapping the Champions League for the Saudi Pro League. Reijnders, a key figure for the Netherlands, joins a growing list of stars who have chosen financial security over sporting prestige, following the path of Mané, Kante and many others. City, for their part, turned a quick profit on a player who never truly established himself under Guardiola. As for Reijnders, he clearly sleeps well at night: with his grandchildren's futures secured, the debate about his motivation is the last thing on his mind.
It's worth noting that Reijnders was Serie A's most prolific midfielder in the 2024/25 season at AC Milan before earning his big move to Manchester City.
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