MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City recouped about $70 million of its offseason transfer spending by selling Tijjani Reijnders on Wednesday to Saudi club Al-Qadsiah, owned by state oil giant Aramco.
Man City and Al Qadsiah confirmed the 28-year-old Netherlands midfielder’s move on a five-year contract in social media posts.
The fee for Reijnders was reportedly 52 million pounds ($70 million), almost matching the sum City also got this week selling midfield standout Rodri to Barcelona.
City and new coach Enzo Maresca have added England midfielder Elliot Anderson for 116 million pounds ($158 million) from Nottingham Forest and are reportedly pursuing Lille’s prized teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi, who impressed at the World Cup for Morocco.
Reijnders spent just one season in Manchester after joining from AC Milan and helped the team win both English domestic cup competitions.
“Two finals at Wembley and a season I’ll always look back on. Thank you, City,” he posted on Instagram.
Reijnders played in all three of the Netherlands’ group-stage games at the World Cup then was benched in a Round-of-32 loss in a penalty shootout to Morocco after a 1-1 draw. Morocco tied the game in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes.
Al Qadsiah, in the coastal city Al Khobar, finished fourth in the Saudi Pro League last season and is coached by former Liverpool, Celtic and Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers.
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The Associated Press
