Van Dijk responds to Tijjani Reijnders’ heartfelt Man City message
Tijjani Reijnders shared a heartfelt message to Manchester City fans after the club’s shock exit from the Club World Cup.
Man City suffered a disappointing early departure from the competition after falling to Saudi side Al-Hilal in extra time.
Despite Bernardo Silva giving City the lead, Al-Hilal responded with goals from Marcos Leonardo and Malcom to turn the game around.
Erling Haaland struck again for Man City, netting his third of the tournament to take the tie to extra time. But Kalidou Koulibaly restored the advantage for Al-Hilal, and although Phil Foden grabbed a late equaliser, Leonardo found the winner, sending the Saudi champions through to the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Reijnders once again started ahead of Ilkay Gundogan, has only added to speculation surrounding the German’s long-term future at the club.
Following the defeat, he thanked the supporters for their backing during the Club World Cup campaign, which came to an abrupt end.
Man City and Premier League stars react to Tijjani Reijnders after Club World Cup exit
Following City’s exit from the Club World Cup, Reijnders shared a disappointed but determined message with supporters on Instagram.
The Dutch midfielder posted: “Wanted more from the [Club World Cup], but on a personal level grateful for how I’ve been welcomed into the team. Now time to rest, back in a few weeks.”
Reijnders earned plenty of responses from across the football world, with Liverpool and Netherlands duo Virgil van Dijk and Jeremie Frimpong among those to like the post. Josko Gvardiol and former AC Milan teammate Fikayo Tomori also showed their support by liking the message.
Man City have already invested heavily this summer, spending around £115 million, with Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri both arriving from Wolves as Pep Guardiola reshapes his squad.
Reijnders arrives on the back of an impressive season in Italy, having registered 20 goal contributions, and has already earned Guardiola’s trust, starting ahead of Gundogan in recent matches.
Ederson faces uncertain future with Man City
While the focus has been on new signings, outgoings could soon become the priority for City.
Former financial adviser Stefan Borson told Football Insider that Ederson is likely to leave Man City on a free transfer next summer.
Ederson endured a difficult outing against Al-Hilal during the Club World Cup and has been linked with a move away from the Etihad previously.
However, despite the speculation, he appears keen to stay at City for the upcoming season. But with just one year remaining on his current deal, the club risks losing him for nothing if no agreement is reached.