Reijnders: “The Club World Cup Helped Me Settle – Now I Want to Win It”

Tijjani Reijnders says his integration into Manchester City has been fast-tracked thanks to the FIFA Club World Cup – and now he’s aiming for the trophy.

The Dutch midfielder, signed in early June alongside Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Marcus Bettinelli, made an immediate impression with a composed and commanding debut against Wydad AC.

“The first few weeks have been very good,” Reijnders said. “I got a warm welcome. Being out here in the US helped a lot – I’m with the guys 24/7 and that makes it easier to bond.”

Reijnders is part of the squad gearing up for a top-of-the-group showdown with Juventus on Thursday. City need a win to guarantee first place, though qualification is already secured.

“When you start a tournament like this, you want to finish first – that’s our goal,” he added. “This is a big prize and we’re all here with one mission: to win.”

Despite strong performances in the opening two matches, Reijnders believes the best is yet to come from Pep Guardiola’s evolving squad.

“We expect a lot from ourselves,” he said. “I was happy with my debut, but I know I have much more to give – and so does the team.”

“Juventus is a bigger test. With respect to the other teams, this is where we have to show how strong we are and grow into this tournament.”