The Dutch midfielder’s rapid departure from Manchester City has raised plenty of eyebrows, but behind the headline transfer lies another development that could prove especially significant for the Italian club.
Christian Pulisic and his Milan teammates have suddenly found themselves linked to a remarkable financial story after Manchester City’s Tijjani Reijnders followed Cristiano Ronaldo into the Saudi Pro League. The Dutch midfielder’s rapid departure from Manchester City has raised plenty of eyebrows, but behind the headline transfer lies another development that could prove especially significant for the Italian club.
Reijnders has completed his move from Manchester City to Al-Qadsiah, with the Saudi club agreeing to pay $71 million for the Netherlands international. The 28-year-old has signed a five-year contract and will now work under former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers alongside Italy striker Mateo Retegui.
Al-Qadsiah announced the signing with a video introducing their new midfielder as “A Dutch artist who will paint his masterpieces on our pitches.” Reijnders also offered his own memorable message after arriving, saying: “I’m a Dutch artist; I’m a Qadsiah man.”
The transfer brings an unexpectedly quick end to Reijnders’ time at Manchester City. The midfielder joined from Milan in 2025 and made around 50 appearances in his only season, scoring seven goals and providing seven assists across competitions.
Tijjani Reijnders has joined Al Qadsiah on a permanent deal, subject to international clearance.All the best, @T_Reijnders 🩵 pic.twitter.com/A11q2S0Vce— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 19, 2026
The clause that changes everything for Milan
While Manchester City will receive a substantial fee from Al-Qadsiah, the transfer has an even more interesting consequence for the Rossoneri. A clause inserted into Reijnders’ original move to England means Milan is entitled to the full value of his performance-related bonuses if City sells him within the first year.
Milan had sold Reijnders to City for an initial fee of around $64 million, with another $16 million available through bonuses. Those incentives were originally connected to achievements such as appearances, team success and individual accolades, but the special resale provision means the Italian club can collect the entire bonus package following his immediate departure.
Christian Pulisic of AC Milan celebrates with his team-mate Tijjani Reijnders
That takes City’s total payment to Milan to almost $82 million, despite Reijnders failing to trigger all of those performance-based targets during his season in England. It represents an extraordinary piece of business for Milan, which originally signed the midfielder from AZ Alkmaar for roughly $15 million in 2023.
Milan turn Reijnders into $65m profit
The numbers make the financial impact particularly striking. The Red and Blacks’ overall profit from Reijnders’ sale now rises to approximately $65 million, highlighting how effectively the club managed the midfielder’s transfer despite losing him after only two seasons at San Siro.
The Dutchman had become one of Milan’s most important players after joining from AZ. His ability to carry the ball, progress possession and contribute in the final third made him one of Serie A’s most sought-after midfielders, eventually convincing City to make a major investment in him.
His move to Saudi Arabia means Christian Pulisic’s squad has effectively turned that investment into a huge financial return. The Rossoneri will receive considerably more from the overall deal than the original guaranteed transfer fee suggested, thanks to the clause negotiated when Reijnders moved to Manchester.
🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️#AlQadsiah | #TijjaniQadsawi pic.twitter.com/xdkcmcgRVc— AlQadsiah Saudi Club (@AlQadsiahEN) August 19, 2026
What the move means for Christian Pulisic and Milan
For Milan, the biggest takeaway is financial rather than sporting. The club has lost a player who became an important part of its midfield. Still, the unexpected resale clause has transformed Reijnders’ departure into one of the most profitable pieces of business in the club’s recent transfer history.
That money could prove particularly useful as the club continues reshaping the squad around players including Christian Pulisic. With Reijnders now joining Cristiano Ronaldo’s league, the Rossoneri have received a financial boost from a player who left San Siro only a year ago.