Tijjani Reijnders thinks that he will learn the most from Ilkay Gundogan after completing his blockbuster move to Manchester City from AC Milan.
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City spent £46.5m to sign ReijndersExcited to learn from GundoganWants to score as many goals as possibleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
After completing a £46.5 million transfer from AC Milan, the Dutch international is already making waves as he joins Pep Guardiola’s squad for the Club World Cup in the United States. He is soaking up every opportunity to learn from his new team-mates, especially Gundogan.
AdvertisementGOALWHAT REIJNDERS SAID
Reijnders is often compared to City legend Kevin De Bruyne, but he is not bothered by the noise and is instead trying to better himself by learning from the best.
“I’ve watched the clips of Kevin a lot, but Gundogan is someone I can learn a lot from,” Reijnders said. “It’s nice to see him nearby and the way he does it.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite AC Milan’s disappointing eighth-place finish, Reijnders was named the league’s best midfielder last season, a recognition earned through his 15 goals and five assists across all competitions. That marked a dramatic improvement on his first season in Italy, when he managed only four goals after arriving from AZ Alkmaar for £17m. He is now eager to replicate his goal-scoring form with City at the Etihad.
“Last season with Milan, I was on the scoresheet more,” he said. “It’s very important to score goals as a midfielder and it’s what I’m looking [to do at City] — that and assists. The first season at Milan, I wasn’t calm in my head when I had opportunities to score, and it was something I was thinking about in the summer after. I watched clips of myself when I got into those situations and tried to adapt to those kinds of things in the second season, to be calmer in front of goal.”
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR REIJNDERS?
Reijnders’ first competitive appearance in a City shirt could come when they face Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia on Wednesday in their opening fixture at the Club World Cup. Pep Guardiola is expected to rotate his midfield throughout the tournament, providing the Dutchman with an early opportunity to showcase his talents on the global stage.
