LONDON: Manchester City on Wednesday announced the signing of Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan on a five-year deal for a reported fee of £46.3 million ($62.4 million).

The Dutch midfielder, City’s fourth signing of the week, said he was “ecstatic” to be signing for Pep Guardiola’s side.

The club announced deals for midfielder Rayan Cherki from Lyon and Chelsea’s third-choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli on Tuesday while left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri joined from Wolves on Monday.

Reijnders, 26, joined AC Milan from AZ Alkmaar in 2023 and scored 15 goals for the Italian club in 2024/25.

He will bolster Guardiola’s midfield options following the departure of Kevin De Bruyne.

“I am ecstatic to be signing for Manchester City,” said Reijnders. “City are one of the biggest teams in the world, with the best coach, world-class players and outstanding facilities.”

Director of football Hugo Viana said: “He arrives here with extensive top-level experience in Europe, both at club level as well as on the international stage with the Netherlands.

“Tijjani adds extra energy, composure and creativity to our midfield and working with Pep and our coaches will only see him go from strength to strength.”

ITALY: Sacked Italy manager Luciano Spalletti bowed out with a victory after his side labored to an uninspired 2-0 home win over Moldova in their World Cup qualification match on Monday thanks to goals from Giacomo Raspadori and Andrea Cambiaso.
Spalletti announced his own dismissal on Sunday following Italy’s 3-0 loss in Norway in their opening group game on Friday, but took charge for one final time where again the performance showed why a change of leadership was required.
Norway, who won 1-0 in Estonia with Erling Haaland netting the winner, top Group I on 12 points from four games, with Israel on six points after three matches while Italy are third with three points from their two games.
“I asked the guys to let me go out with a victory,” Spalletti told Sky Sport shortly before kickoff.
While his players duly obliged, it was perhaps a fitting end to Spalletti’s time on the bench as another lacklustre showing failed to light up a far from full Stadio Citta del Tricolore.
With Italy’s slow, predictable build-up play failing to break through the visitors’ rearguard, the hosts were given an early wake-up call when Ion Nicolaescu found the net only for his goal to be ruled out for offside.
Italy’s first threat came when defender Luca Ranieri, making his international debut, hit the crossbar with a header, and they found the breakthrough five minutes before the break.
A headed clearance fell to Raspadori in the box who struck first time into the bottom corner but Moldova almost levelled before halftime when Oleg Reabciuk’s shot from distance was parried away by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Artur Ionita’s follow-up effort went wide of the far post and Daniel Dumbravanu’s header from a corner was cleared off the line by Federico Dimarco as Italy hung onto their lead.
Italy doubled their lead five minutes into the second half when substitute Riccardo Orsolini sent a low cross into the area which Davide Frattesi knocked on to Cambiaso who fired past keeper Cristian Avram.
The two-goal cushion failed to inspire Italy. Frattesi was sent through on goal from a ball over the top by Alessandro Bastoni but he sent his shot straight at the keeper and Moldova continued to create chances of their own.
“We struggled again tonight,” Spalletti told Rai Sport.
“When you are the coach of the national team you cannot have alibis because he chooses the players and if they don’t do well he can change them.”
Spalletti’s name was booed by large sections of the crowd when read out before kickoff, and the game failed to improve the mood, and Italian fans will hope for better when a replacement, rumored to be Claudio Ranieri, is installed.