Tijjani Reijnders is set to leave Manchester City after just one season, with Saudi club Al-Qadsiah agreeing to pay £52 million for the Dutch midfielder. The transfer is expected to be finalized soon, marking a swift end to Reijnders’ brief tenure at the English club.

Reijnders joined Manchester City last summer but struggled to secure regular playing time under former manager Pep Guardiola, who left the club prior to the current season. Under new head coach Enzo Maresca, the player participated in three pre-season friendlies in Asia but did not feature in a recent training session held at the City Football Academy, where he was present but did not take part.

Maresca acknowledged that Reijnders had already decided to leave before his arrival, citing the player's frustration over limited opportunities during the past season. “When they don’t play, they struggle to understand or they struggle to see the reason why and I can understand that after one season some of them would like to play a little bit more,” Maresca said. He added that convincing players to stay when they have made up their minds can be difficult.

The coach compared Reijnders’ situation to that of other squad members, including goalkeeper James Trafford, emphasizing that when all parties—the club, the player, and the manager—agree that a transfer is the best course of action, the club should facilitate it.

Other Manchester City players, such as Omar Marmoush and Savinho, may also be on their way out as the club looks to reshape its squad ahead of the new season. The departures reflect the broader challenge faced by Manchester City in managing transitioning players seeking more consistent playing time following a season of high competition and squad rotation.