Manchester City Fans React to Tijjani Reijnders’ Honest Al Qadsiah Admission
Tijjani Reijnders has given Manchester City supporters another reason to revisit his surFprise departure from the club.
The Dutch midfielder left City for Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah during the summer. Now, his explanation for the move has sparked a strong reaction among supporters after he openly admitted that financial security was a major factor.
Reijnders said that he did not want to need to work after his playing career and that his Al Qadsiah contract could secure the future of several generations of his family. He added that he probably would not have needed to work after his Manchester City contract either, but the Saudi move could make his grandchildren financially secure.
Tijjani Reijnders: “Once my career is over, I don’t want to have to work anymore. Of course, I probably wouldn’t have needed to after my contract at #ManCity either, but this move [to Al Qadsiah] allows me to secure the future of the next generations of my family. I’m not going…
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) September 23, 2026
That honesty has divided the reaction.
Some City supporters have criticised the decision and questioned his ambition. Others have taken a much simpler view: Reijnders was offered an enormous financial opportunity, accepted it and was honest enough to say exactly why.
The reaction to City Xtra’s post shows both sides of that debate.
Reijnders admits money played a major role
There was little attempt from Reijnders to disguise the financial motivation behind his move.
The 28-year-old acknowledged that money played an important part in his decision and explained that the Al Qadsiah contract offered him the chance to provide financial security not only for himself but also for future generations of his family. Reports have placed the Saudi contract at around €20 million per year, although reported figures vary between outlets.
His comments were unusually direct.
Rather than presenting the transfer purely as a sporting decision, Reijnders effectively said that the financial package was too attractive to ignore.
That is what caught the attention of Manchester City supporters.
One fan, @MCIKevn, summed up the reaction bluntly:
“Damn bro straight up told them it was for the bag. He forgot about his football legacy quickly.”
The same supporter then added:
“Right decision 😂”
That combination captures the strange nature of the discussion.
There is criticism of Reijnders for prioritising money, but there is also an acknowledgement that the decision makes sense from a personal financial perspective.
“At least he is honest”
Not every City supporter saw Reijnders’ comments negatively.
In fact, honesty was one of the strongest themes in the reactions.
Sourav wrote:
“At least he is honest”
That comment received significant engagement, while another supporter, @xenon8565, simply wrote:
“Appreciate him for being honest”
For some fans, that appears to be the most important part of the story.
Footballers frequently face criticism when they move to leagues offering substantially greater financial rewards. Players can sometimes frame such transfers around new challenges, football projects or career ambitions.
Reijnders did not take that route.
He openly acknowledged the financial attraction.
That makes his position easy to understand, even for supporters who may have preferred to see him remain in Europe.
His comments also make clear that he does not necessarily view the move as the end of his football ambitions. Reports indicate that he has not ruled out eventually returning to European football.
“I don’t blame him”
Another supporter, @OHMZ270, responded:
“I don’t blame him lol”
That reaction was echoed by others who appear to view the transfer through the reality of a footballer’s career.
Professional football careers are relatively short. A player can earn an exceptional salary in Europe and still face uncertainty about what happens after retirement.
Reijnders’ argument is that the Saudi contract allows him to go beyond personal wealth and create long-term financial security for his family.
Whether supporters agree with that priority is a separate question.
But his explanation is clear.
He believes the opportunity was too significant to ignore.
And @thatolumide offered another perspective:
“He’s just speaking the minds of a lot of other players.”
That comment gets to the heart of the debate.
Some City fans question his ambition
Not everyone was sympathetic.
Kingkev’s response was simply:
“No ambition”
Another supporter, @Quasimodoscott, went even further by calling him:
“The talk of a true sh*te player.”
There was also frustration from J S, who asked:
“WTF was man city paying this guy”
Those reactions show that some supporters are not looking at the transfer purely as a financial decision.
For them, Reijnders was 28 and had already established himself at AC Milan before joining Manchester City. Moving to Saudi Arabia at that stage of his career can therefore be interpreted as choosing financial security over the opportunity to continue competing at the highest level of European football.
That is the central criticism.
Reijnders had the chance to continue his career at a major European club, but instead chose Al Qadsiah.
From that perspective, some supporters see the move as a decision about money rather than football.
But other fans say: why wouldn’t he?
There is another side to the argument.
Shay Coates wrote:
“Good for him.”
Meanwhile, @Rupesh🇮🇳 said:
“Fair enough. Wishing him best of luck”
And Shaun simply responded:
“Fairs 😭”
These reactions suggest that not every supporter believes football should dictate every decision a player makes.
Reijnders himself essentially made that argument.
His position is that people can say they would reject such an offer, but he believes many would ultimately accept it if placed in the same situation.
That is difficult to prove either way.
However, it explains why his comments have resonated with some fans.
The issue is not whether Reijnders already had enough money to live comfortably. The issue is whether a player should maximise his earning potential while he has the opportunity.
Reijnders has made his answer very clear.
The “oil money” reaction
Some of the strongest responses were directed at the financial side of the Saudi Pro League.
Andromeda posted:
“Lol he desperately need that oil money”
Another account referred to the money in similarly dismissive terms.
That reflects a wider football debate surrounding Saudi Arabia’s growing involvement in the sport.
For some supporters, Saudi transfers represent a financial challenge to the traditional European football hierarchy. Others see the Saudi Pro League as a legitimate destination where players can earn significant sums during relatively short careers.
Reijnders’ comments have brought that debate directly into the Manchester City conversation.
His decision is no longer being discussed simply as a player leaving the Etihad.
It has become a conversation about ambition, money, legacy and family.
Reijnders’ City spell adds another layer
Reijnders only spent one season at Manchester City after joining from AC Milan in 2025.
Reports indicate that he made 47 appearances for City and scored seven goals before his departure, while other reports put his total appearances slightly differently depending on the competitions counted
His time at the club therefore ended much sooner than many supporters expected.
The timing is particularly interesting because Reijnders left just as Manchester City entered the post-Pep Guardiola era under new head coach Enzo Maresca.
That means he never became part of the longer-term Maresca project.
For City fans, that naturally raises questions about what might have happened had he stayed.
Would Maresca have given him a more important role?
Would Reijnders have become a regular starter?
Could he have established himself as a key midfielder during the beginning of the new era?
Those questions will never be answered.
Reijnders has already chosen a different path.
City fans may disagree, but Reijnders has made his position clear
The reaction to his comments is ultimately split.
Some supporters see the move as evidence that Reijnders prioritised money over sporting ambition. Others believe that criticism is too simplistic.
The most consistent point in the City Xtra reactions is perhaps not whether the transfer was right or wrong.
It is that Reijnders was unusually honest about it.
He did not pretend the money was irrelevant.
He did not attempt to hide behind vague statements about a new challenge.
Instead, he explained that the contract could secure his family’s financial future for generations.
That straightforward approach has earned him some respect from City supporters, even among those disappointed by his decision.
At the same time, fans who wanted to see him continue his career at the highest level of European football will naturally see the move differently.
For Manchester City, though, the chapter is already closed.
Reijnders has moved on to Al Qadsiah, while Maresca’s new-look City continues without him.
The Dutchman’s comments have simply reopened the debate over why he left.
And judging by the reaction from City supporters, the answer remains as divisive as the transfer itself.
