Manchester City fans have felt the void this season.
For the first time under Pep Guardiola, the team went trophyless, and much of it came down to one thing: control—or rather, the lack of it—in midfield.
Guardiola’s teams have always been built around the engine room of the pitch.
As he famously said back in 2018, “If I could play with 11 midfielders, I would.”
This season exposed just how crucial those midfield maestros are.
With Rodri sidelined for almost the entire campaign, Kevin De Bruyne struggling with injuries before his departure, and Ilkay Gundogan past his peak, City struggled to dominate the middle.
The results were clear: their possession stats dipped to a Premier League low under Guardiola, and the team lacked the precision in passing that once defined them.
Enter Tijjani Reijnders: The Perfect Pep Player
Manchester City acted quickly in the transfer market, snapping up Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for £46.3 million.
Guardiola clearly sees in him a combination of all the qualities his midfielders need: technical skill, tactical intelligence, and a nose for goal.
Reijnders didn’t waste time making an impression, scoring and assisting on his Premier League debut.
The Complete Midfielder
Reijnders’ Serie A numbers last season were eye-catching.
Playing for an inconsistent Milan side, he led the team in shots, interceptions, total passes, progressive passes, carries, and progressive carries.
He ranked second in shot-creating actions, showing a rare ability to influence the game in multiple ways.
He drops deep to collect the ball from defenders, can navigate tight spaces effortlessly, carries the ball forward, splits defenses with precise passes, and makes late runs into dangerous areas.
Every trait aligns with Guardiola’s ideal midfielder blueprint.
City teammate Nathan Ake is already impressed: “From the first week in training, you could see he fits in really well.
He kept the ball really well against Wydad, moved us forward, and was solid defensively. He can play multiple positions and has a lot of quality.”
Guardiola agrees: “He’s a really good player. Really good. When he gets the rhythm, he will be top.”
Passing, Carrying, and Breaking Lines
Without Rodri and De Bruyne, City’s engine faltered. Possession dropped to 61%—a sharp decline from the 71% they averaged in 2017-18.
Their ability to win the ball back and deliver passes into the final third fell off dramatically.
Most crucially, line-breaking passes—the ones that slice open defenses—plummeted.
Reijnders excels at this. In Serie A, he played 229 line-breaking passes, 47 of which split defenses—more than any other player.
Against Wydad, he completed 68 of 74 passes (92%), with only six misses, all in attacking areas.
His progressive carries are equally impressive, rivaling top midfielders across Europe. With Reijnders in the engine room, Erling Haaland is sure to benefit.
Goals and Work Ethic
Guardiola has always prized midfielders who can score, from Gundogan’s late-box runs to Bernardo Silva’s decisive strikes.
Reijnders’ 10 goals for AC Milan last season came from intelligent positioning, late runs, and excellent timing—classic traits for a scoring midfielder.
He may not be the most physically imposing, but his reading of the game allows him to intercept effectively.
Discipline and work ethic run in the family; his father, Martin, a former striker, ensured Tijjani understood the value of hard work.
“I used to stock shelves at Aldi and work behind the till,” Reijnders recalled. “It gave me perspective and shaped my mindset.”
Tactical Versatility
Reijnders is flexible in any system. At Milan, he operated as a holding midfielder in a 4-2-3-1, a central midfielder in a 4-3-3, and occasionally as a number 10.
Against Wydad, he started as the deepest midfielder but moved forward once Rodri entered the game.
Whether he partners with Rodri or plays behind Haaland, Reijnders is ready to inject energy, creativity, and goal threat into City’s midfield.
A Promising Future
After just one standout performance, signs are promising.
Reijnders doesn’t just replace what City lost with De Bruyne and Rodri—he combines elements of Guardiola’s best midfielders, offering control, vision, and attacking threat.
For City fans, the future looks a little brighter in the engine room.
