Tijjani Reijnders's brief stint at Manchester City appears to be drawing to a close, with the Dutch midfielder reportedly closing in on a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Qadsiah in a deal worth approximately £55m. The transfer, completed barely a year after his arrival, represents a modest profit for City, who signed him from AC Milan for £45m last summer.
The move is unlikely to provoke much emotion among City supporters, and Reijnders is far from the first top-flight player to be lured by the financial rewards on offer in Saudi Arabia. Yet the speed of his fall from Champions League contender to Saudi Pro League recruit tells a broader story about the nature of elite football today.
Just over a year ago, Reijnders was one of Serie A's standout performers, scoring 15 goals in his final season at Milan and being named the division's midfielder of the season. His switch to the Premier League was billed as a marquee coup, with City hoping he could help replace the creative influence lost when Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan departed. Reijnders himself called the move to City a