“The Money”: Ex-Man City Star Named After Nigerian Legend Breaks Silence on Moving to Saudi Arabia
- Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders left Manchester City for Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah in a £52m deal after just one season at the Etihad
- Reijnders, who was named after Super Eagles legend Tijani Babangida, broke his silence on the motives behind his controversial move
- The Netherlands international signed a five-year deal with Al-Qadsiah reportedly worth around £86m over the contract period
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Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has spoken openly about his reasons for leaving Manchester City to join Saudi Pro League club Al-Qadsiah in a £52 million transfer, telling that generational wealth was the primary driver of his decision.
Reijnders, who shares his first name with former Super Eagles winger Tijani Babangida and was named in his honour, spent just one season at the Etihad Stadium before completing the move to the Saudi club over the summer.
Source: Getty Images
Why Reijnders chose Saudi Arabia over Europe
Rather than reach for the usual football talking points, the Netherlands international was refreshingly direct about the financial appeal of the deal.
He said his goal after football is to never need employment again and that the contract goes far beyond securing his own comfort.
"Once my playing career is over, I don't want to have to work anymore. Of course, I probably wouldn't have needed to work anymore after my contract at Manchester City either, but this move allows me to secure the future of the next generations of my family," he told Daily Mail.
"I'm not going to lie about that. By signing this contract, I can make sure even my grandchildren are financially secure, so why wouldn't I do it?"
Reijnders is on a five-year arrangement with Al-Qadsiah and is reportedly set to earn around £86 million across the length of the deal.
He turned down reported interest from other European clubs to pursue the project.
Despite the move, he has kept his place in the Dutch national team setup, suggesting the transfer has not harmed his standing at international level.
Trophies and ambition also factor in for Reijnders
Money, however, was not the only consideration Reijnders cited.
He spoke about the club's ambitions and the role he hopes to play in realising them.
"Especially the ambition of the club is what attracted me. The club wants to be the biggest in Asia and what they did already in the past and what we can do now in the future, it triggered me a lot," he added.
"I came here to try and win trophies with my teammates. We're playing for four trophies, if I'm right. We want to win as many as possible and we are all very eager to do that. And, personally, I hope I can help the team as much as possible with goals and assists."
According to Transfermarkt, the 26-year-old has made an encouraging start, scoring three goals in five Saudi Pro League appearances since his arrival.
Al-Qadsiah, managed by Brendan Rodgers, also compete in the AFC Champions League and currently sit fourth in the Saudi Pro League table, a position they have finished in for each of the last two seasons.
The club is owned by the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, the majority state-owned petroleum and natural gas firm, and counts former Spain and Italy defender Nacho Fernandez and Italy striker Mario Retegui among its squad.
George Ilenikhena's salary in Saudi Arabia
In another development, Legit.ng reported about George Ilenikhena’s impressive start to life at Al-Ittihad aftert he 20-year-old striker scored six goals in seven appearances this season while earning a reported €7.65 million annually.
With Al-Ittihad’s rising star already commanding about ₦266 million a week, his next big moment could come in the Super Eagles shirt.
Source: Legit.ng
