Al-Ittihad could stage Tijjani Reijnders’ first Saudi Pro League appearance

Al-Ittihad may provide the setting for Tijjani Reijnders’ first match in Saudi Arabia after Al Qadsiah reached an agreement with Manchester City to sign the Netherlands midfielder.

Reijnders is expected to complete his move to Al Qadsiah during the current summer transfer window, with the deal reported to be worth 60m euros. Negotiations between the two clubs had reached an advanced stage before Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that an agreement had now been reached.

The report said all the key details had been settled and that Reijnders had become an Al Qadsiah player in all but official confirmation. The 28-year-old is due to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Monday to finalise the transfer.

If the move is completed in time, Reijnders could make his Al Qadsiah debut against Al-Ittihad next Friday in the second round of the Saudi Pro League. However, his involvement will be decided by manager Brendan Rodgers.

The potential fixture would give Reijnders an immediate opportunity to begin his new chapter in Saudi football, although Rodgers will determine whether the midfielder is ready to play after completing the transfer. The match against Al-Ittihad is currently the earliest possible occasion mentioned for his first appearance with the club.

Reijnders joined Manchester City from Milan in last summer’s transfer window. During his time with the English club, he played 50 matches, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists.

His proposed move to Al Qadsiah would represent a significant addition to the club’s plans for the new season. Al Qadsiah are working to strengthen their squad substantially as they prepare for their first appearance in the AFC Champions League Elite.

The agreement with Manchester City would therefore make Reijnders one of the latest major additions to Al Qadsiah’s squad, with the club seeking to build a team capable of competing on both the domestic and continental stages.

For now, the next steps are his arrival in Saudi Arabia on Monday and the completion of the outstanding formalities. Once those are concluded, attention will turn to Rodgers’ selection decision ahead of the meeting with Al-Ittihad, which could mark the beginning of Reijnders’ Saudi Pro League career.