Manchester City have reached an agreement with AC Milan worth €55m (£46.3m) for midfielder Tijjani Reijnders.
The 26-year-old is expected to sign a five-year deal at the eight-time Premier League champions after undergoing a medical on Sunday.
City showed particular interest in the Netherlands international before the window opened and have now sealed the move after positive talks progressed.
The deal suggests Guardiola has achieved his goal in filling the void that legendary midfielder Kevin de Bruyne left after he wasn’t offered a contract renewal.
Reijnders recently signed a new contract with Milan, which ran until 2030, but the player showed an overriding desire to join City, with the club’s representatives following suit.
It comes after a season which has seen City perform their worst under Guardiola, but this addition shows that the Catalan isn’t backing down from chasing a return to the top of English football.
Reijanders, who joined Milan from AZ in 2023, has impressed this season by scoring 15 goals in all competitions and being voted Serie A midfielder of the year.
He’s also appeared for the Netherlands national team 22 times since making his debut in 2023 and was in the squad when they reached the semi-finals of Euro 2024.
‘A player that epitomises Guardiola’s intelligence style of football’
Reijnders is the perfect player for Guardiola’s footballing philosophy. Not only can the 26-year-old control a game and change the tempo alone, he’s versatile and can play throughout the midfield effortlessly.
The return of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri gives the new signing healthy competition, though it’s likely he will play alongside him and not so much in place of one another.
That, paired with the contract expiration of Ilkay Gundogan, who is likely to move elsewhere at the end of June, means Guardiola will need Reijnders to avoid last season’s mistake: having a lack of depth.
Although he is the most experienced midfielder, his club experience for Milan provides a stability that he’s used to being on a big stage, and with Guardiola’s expertise, it’s unlikely Reijnders won’t improve.