Tijjani Reijnders is quickly becoming a well-known name as a talented Manchester City midfilder after his impressive performance against Palermo.
Although it was only a friendly match to prepare the team for the new season, his display caught the attention of fans and coaches alike.
The Dutch midfielder joined Manchester City this summer before the recently concluded FIFA Club World Cup.
Many City fans who had seen him play in the USA already knew he was talented, and he proved them right on Saturday night.
Coming on in the second half, Reijnders wasted no time making an impact. He scored twice in City’s 3-0 win over the Italian side and almost scored a third, but Palermo’s goalkeeper made an incredible save to deny him.
Pep Guardiola Praises Tijjani Reijnders, Says His Movement Is Special
After the game, Pep Guardiola praised Reijnders for his movement and intelligence on the pitch. The City boss highlighted the midfielder’s ability to arrive in the box at the perfect moment.
“Yeah, we knew that he is a special player arriving into the box,” Pep said, as quoted on Manchester City’s official website.
“He loves to do that. People in Italy know him perfectly. He scored two goals and he made a fantastic performance like the rest of his teammates.”
Oscar Bobb Says Reijnders, Others New Signings Are World-Class Players
Reijnders’ performance also impressed his teammate Oscar Bobb, who described him and other new signings as world-class players.
Bobb said working with them has been a pleasure and added that their quality is clear for everyone to see. Speaking about the new faces in the squad, Bobb said: “Great. Marcus [Bettinelli] is not here. The others are. It’s been great.
“It’s been a pleasure playing with them. The two Rayans, Tijjani, they are world-class players.”
With such high praise from both his manager and teammates, the new Manchester City midfilder is off to a bright beginning.
City supporters will be eager to see if he can continue delivering the same level of performance when competitive matches begin.