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David Tully Jul 27th 2026
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Man City are likely to sanction the departure of midfielder Tijjani Reijnders if Ayyoub Bouaddi makes the switch to the Etihad this summer, according to reports.
There is still a debate over whether Bouaddi would remain with Lille or move to England immediately if Enzo Maresca’s side secure an agreement for the teenager.
Bouaddi’s arrival would, though, have an impact on Reijnders’ future, with The Sun claiming that the Dutchman “could be allowed to leave” as a consequence.
Why have things not worked out for him at Man City?
Reijnders only made the switch to Manchester from AC Milan for an initial £46.5m in June last year, but after a promising start to life in the Premier League, he fell out of favour in the second half of last season.
Manager Pep Guardiola only named him in the starting eleven for a Premier League game on two occasions between the start of February and the end of May.
Reijnders would have hoped that the change in the dugout could change his fortunes, but it looks as if Enzo Maresca is also willing to let him leave. Turkish giants Galatasaray are reportedly at the front of the queue to secure the Netherlands international’s services.
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What is the latest on the Bouaddi deal?
Some reports have claimed that Maresca’s side are close to winning the race for the Moroccan international, ahead of the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.
However, journalist Fabrizio Romano says “club-to-club talks” are ongoing, and there doesn’t appear to be a final agreement on the transfer fee yet. Lille are believed to be holding out for around €100m (£85m) to sell Bouaddi this summer.
David Tully
David Tully
David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for the Football News Network.