'Not here to replace him!' - Tijjani Reijnders shows respect for Kevin De Bruyne after making £46.5m move to Man City on back of legendary Belgian's exit

Manchester City have signed Reijnders from AC Milan in a £46.5 million deal, just after De Bruyne called time on his glittering decade in Manchester to join Napoli. The Dutchman arrives after being named the best midfielder in Serie A and joins a City side looking to refresh its midfield options under Pep Guardiola.

With De Bruyne departing, comparisons were inevitable — but Reijnders was quick to shut them down. While he openly admires the Belgian and has studied his game closely, the Dutchman has claimed that he is focused on forging his own identity. Reijnders also cited Spain and Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta as another key influence on his style of play.

Speaking to club media, Reijnders said: "I'm not here to replace him [De Bruyne]. I have to play my own game. But I take things from different players… with Kevin De Bruyne, how he was scanning the pitch, the passes he gave.

"That’s also a big thing, of course – the best coach in the world. I am very eager to learn new things here and the style of playing, and that’s what I’m looking forward to."

The 26-year-old is expected to slot into City's midfield rotation during the Club World Cup in the United States, with his competitive debut likely soon. The post-De Bruyne era has begun at City — but with Reijnders, the eight-time Premier League champions believe they’ve landed a star for the future.