Tijjani Reijnders did not arrive at Manchester City and instantly look at home. After a bright debut, things slowed down. The touches were there, the movement too, but the influence wasn’t. For a player of his age and reputation, many expected the adjustment to be quicker.
Instead, it has been gradual. Quiet, even. Over recent weeks, though, there have been small signs that things are beginning to settle, not in highlights but in the rhythm of games City control.
IT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE SIMPLE
Joining a Pep Guardiola side rarely comes with instant comfort. The demands are specific and unforgiving, especially in midfield. Positioning matters. Timing matters more. Early on, Reijnders often looked caught between roles, involved without really shaping what was happening around him.
The Premier League added another layer to that challenge. The pace is sharper, pressure arrives quicker, and mistakes are punished immediately. At times, Reijnders looked half a step off it, particularly when matches became stretched and City lost their grip.
More recently, that sense of rush has faded. He looks calmer receiving the ball and more aware of what is happening around him, rather than reacting late.
GOALS HAVE HELPED SETTLE HIM
City’s win over West Ham did not revolve around Reijnders, but his goal still felt important. Not because it decided the result, but because it reflected a player growing in confidence. It was his first goal at the Etihad and came from a run that felt more assured than earlier in the season.
Two goals in his last four league appearances is not a standout return, but it matters in context. Midfielders at City are expected to contribute, not just recycle possession. With Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki already offering goals from deeper areas, Reijnders adding that threat gives Guardiola another option.
Confidence tends to show in the smaller moments before it shows on the scoreboard.
THE SMALL SIGNS ARE MORE IMPORTANT
The goals are useful. The quieter parts of Reijnders’ game are more telling.
He is starting to keep the ball moving without forcing play. His touches feel safer. He seems more comfortable holding his position rather than drifting in search of involvement. Against West Ham, he was not among the standout performers, but he helped City slow the game down when needed.
That kind of contribution matters in a side that values control above all else and demands discipline from its midfielders.
FINDING COMFORT IN THE SYSTEM
Reijnders is not yet the player who bends games to his will. That may come later, or it may never be his defining role. What is clear is that he no longer looks like someone trying to survive within the system.
His forward runs are better timed. His involvement is steadier across matches. He looks more comfortable receiving the ball in tight areas and less concerned about getting rid of it immediately, even when pressed.
Those are the signs of a player beginning to belong rather than merely fit in.
AUTHOR’S INSIGHT
Reijnders was never going to transform Manchester City overnight. Expecting that missed the reality of how Guardiola’s midfield works. What matters now is that he looks comfortable, something that was missing earlier in the season. If this version of him continues to develop, the bigger performances will arrive without being forced.
As featured on ManCityNews.com
