One of the key departures was Kevin De Bruyne, who decided to leave the club at the end of the season. A hamstring injury had affected his performance, and his numbers were not as high as in previous seasons. However, he still managed six goals and eight assists, and his passing accuracy was just shy of his best return.

De Bruyne's decision to leave was likely due to his approaching 34th birthday, and the natural decline that comes with age. He chose to leave before he was pushed, ensuring that Manchester City would need to find a suitable replacement quickly.

Enter Tijjani Reijnders, a talented Dutch midfielder from AC Milan. Despite his team's poor season, Reijnders stood out with 10 goals and four assists from central midfield. His box-to-box nature and ability to dictate the flow of the game make him an ideal fit for Manchester City.

Reijnders is 26 years old and approaching his peak as a player. He has a high pass completion rate in the final third of the pitch and is creative enough to free up his teammates. However, he will need to work on his one-on-one defensive skills, where he won the ball on just 42.8% of challenges last season.

Reijnders is confident in his abilities and has expressed his desire to win trophies and be remembered in the history books. He believes that being a Ballon d'Or candidate is a dream, but it will depend on his performances and the trophies he wins.

Pep Guardiola has a reputation for valuing midfielders who can control the game and make their teammates better. Reijnders' dynamic and fluid playing style aligns with the Catalan coach's philosophy, and he has described him as a great player who could be part of a team with 11 midfielders.

The deal for Reijnders' services is expected to be around €70m, which could be a bargain for Manchester City given his potential and the team's need for a creative and marauding presence.