Manchester City made a pricey bid for Reijnders as Al Mubarak vows comeback!

Manchester City has wasted no time in signaling their intent for the upcoming season, with reports confirming an initial bid for AC Milan's highly-rated midfielder, Tijjani Reijnders. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the reigning Premier League champions have tabled an offer worth approximately €60 million, including add-ons, for the Netherlands international. While AC Milan is reportedly seeking a higher sum, negotiations are understood to be advancing, indicating City's strong desire to secure their top midfield target to enhance central solidity.

This decisive move comes on the heels of a season that, by Manchester City's incredibly high standards, fell short of expectations. After securing the Premier League title in each of the previous four seasons, Pep Guardiola's side ended the most recent campaign without a major trophy, only confirming their Champions League qualification on the final day. This outcome has clearly ignited a fierce determination within the club to rebound.

City's proactive approach in the transfer market has been evident even prior to the summer window. They made several notable signings in January, including Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Juma Bah, demonstrating a commitment to squad adjustment. More new faces are anticipated, alongside strategic departures, as the club aims to refine its roster.

Adding weight to City's aggressive transfer strategy, chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak has issued a powerful statement, effectively a warning shot across the bows of their Premier League rivals, particularly Liverpool, who are also making significant moves in the summer market for talents like Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, and Milos Kerkez.

'We'll be back'

"We will be back," Al-Mubarak emphatically declared, addressing the disappointment of the past season. "This season is a season that’s now behind us. Today is a new day. We start working and preparing for next season. And by the way, we’ve been doing that since January."

The chairman stressed the club's commitment to continuous improvement, vowing to "take all the good things and the not so good things from this season, and learn from it, improve from it and get better." He reassured fans that the club "will do everything possible to come back to the standards that we know we all can achieve – and that we know we will achieve."

Al-Mubarak painted a picture of a squad driven by a collective hunger for redemption. "All the players, they’re excited about coming back. Nobody feels good about how we finished the season," he noted. "They want to come back, and they want to come back hungry. And I can see the hunger. Normally these players are off and they’re starting to think about vacation time etc. Honestly, every player I spoke to was telling me, ‘we’re coming back’."

This strong sentiment from the top, coupled with the immediate pursuit of a high-value target like Reijnders, underscores Manchester City's unwavering ambition. They are not merely aiming to compete; they are preparing to return with a renewed ferocity, signaling a formidable challenge to all who stand in their path next season.