Tijjani Reijnders has left Manchester City to join Al-Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia. The Netherlands international signed a four-year contract with the Damman-based club this week, according to NOS.
The transfer was completed for a fee of 61 million euros. Reijnders is expected to earn over 100 million euros during his contract. He follows Crysencio Summerville as the second Dutch player to move to the Saudi Pro League this summer. The 28-year-old midfielder previously played for AZ and AC Milan before joining City.
What does this mean for the Netherlands?
Reijnders has earned 36 caps for the Dutch national team so far. At the 2026 World Cup, he started all three group stage matches. Coach Ronald Koeman left him on the bench for the round of 16 match against Morocco due to a tactical adjustment. The Netherlands eventually lost that match on penalties. His move to a league outside Europe's top five raises questions about his development. The current Oranje squad for upcoming matches can be found on our squad page.
How does Reijnders fit at Al-Qadsiah?
Al-Qadsiah finished fourth in the Saudi Pro League last season. The team is managed by coach Brendan Rodgers, who previously worked at Liverpool and Celtic. Reijnders joins a squad with international names like Mexican Julian Quiñones, Italian Mateo Retegui and Spaniard Nacho Fernandez. The club hopes his arrival will help them progress in the competition. The current standings in the Saudi league can be followed via our standings overview.
Who preceded him to Saudi Arabia?
Crysencio Summerville made the switch from West Ham United to Al-Hilal earlier this summer. The 24-year-old forward made his debut last Friday in a 4-2 win against Al Faisaly. He earned one of the three penalties for his team in that match. Summerville and Reijnders aren't the only Dutch players in the region. Donyell Malen plays for Al-Ahli, while Steven Bergwijn is active for Al-Ettifaq. According to data on our stats page, Dutch players have already scored 12 goals in the Saudi league this season.
| Player | Club | Goals this season |
|---|---|---|
| Donyell Malen | Al-Ahli | 5 |
| Steven Bergwijn | Al-Ettifaq | 4 |
| Crysencio Summerville | Al-Hilal | 2 |
| Tijjani Reijnders | Al-Qadsiah | 0 |
What are the financial details?
The transfer fee of 61 million euros represents significant money for a player of his age. For comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo earns about 200 million euros per year at Al-Nassr. Reijnders' salary over four years amounts to over 25 million euros per season. Nottingham Forest previously showed interest in the midfielder, but that club couldn't agree on a fee with City. The financial power of Saudi clubs remains a major factor in the transfer market.
Reijnders' departure means Koeman must replace a regular in his midfield for upcoming international matches. The national coach can choose from options like Frenkie de Jong, Teun Koopmeiners and Ryan Gravenberch. The next Netherlands matches can be seen on the fixtures schedule. The focus now shifts to preparation for qualification matches later this year.
